Grant Kenny facts for kids
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| Full name | Grant Hayden Kenny | ||||||||||
| Nationality | Australian | ||||||||||
| Born | 14 June 1963 Maryborough, Queensland, Australia |
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| Sport | |||||||||||
| Country | Australia | ||||||||||
| Sport | Canoe sprint, Ironman surf lifesaving | ||||||||||
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Medal record
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Grant Hayden Kenny OAM (born June 14, 1963) is a famous Australian athlete. He was an amazing Ironman (a type of surf lifesaver) and a skilled canoeist. He even won a bronze medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics!
Career
Becoming an Ironman Champion
Grant Kenny first became famous in 1980. He was only 16 years old! On the same day, he won both the Australian Junior and Open Iron Man Championships. This was a huge achievement!
He continued his winning streak. Grant won the Australian Open Ironman Title for the next three years. Many people in Australia knew his name. He even appeared in TV commercials for Kellogg's Nutri-Grain cereal.
From Surf to Kayaks
In the mid-1980s, Grant started focusing on kayaks. He competed in two Summer Olympics. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, he won a bronze medal. He achieved this in the K-2 1000 meter event with his teammate, Barry Kelly.
Later, Grant was important in creating the Uncle Toby's Super Series. This was a new professional competition for Ironmen. It ran for 12 years. Grant also competed in the first two seasons.
Honours
Grant Kenny has received several important awards for his contributions to sport. In 1986, he received the Medal of the Order of Australia. This award recognized his great service to sports.
He also received the Australian Sports Medal in 2000. In 2001, he was given the Centenary Medal. Both of these awards honored his work in sports and business. In 1996, Grant Kenny was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. This means he is recognized as one of Australia's greatest sports heroes.
Personal life
Grant Kenny was married to Australian swimming champion Lisa Curry in 1986. They have three children. Grant and his former wife also co-own a company called Curry Kenny Aviation Group. This company owned many aircraft in 2009. Grant also has a daughter with comedian Fifi Box, born in 2013.
