Dean Mercer

Dean Paul Mercer OAM (24 November 1969 – 28 August 2017) was an Australian sportsman who competed in ironman events.[1][2]

Dean Mercer
OAM
Personal information
Full nameDean Paul Mercer
NationalityAustralian
Born(1969-11-24)24 November 1969
Bulli, New South Wales, Australia
Died28 August 2017(2017-08-28) (aged 47)
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Sport
CountryAustralia
SportIronman surf lifesaving

Career

Mercer was born in Bulli and raised in Thirroul, both suburbs of Wollongong.[3] Early in his career, Mercer and his brother Darren were coached by their father, John.[4] Mercer became a professional ironman at 15 and competed from 1987 to 2010. He won the Australian open ironman titles in 1989 and 1995,[2] and five New South Wales championships. In 1997 he won the World Oceanman series.[2] He competed in his last Coolangatta Gold aged 40.[5]

In 1992, Mercer was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for "service to surf lifesaving",[6] and in 1990 was inducted into the NSW Hall of Champions at Sydney Olympic Park.[2]

At the time of his death Mercer was director of surf sports, and nippers coach, at Kurrawa Surf Club at Broadbeach, Queensland a position he held since October 2014.[5][7]

Private life

Born on 24 November 1969 to Maureen and John Mercer, Mercer grew up in Thirroul, New South Wales.[8][9][2]

Mercer married Kaylene Costello in 1998.[10]

In 2003, he married Reen Corbett, an ironwoman competitor in her own right.[11] They later had four boys.[5]

In 2013, a magistrates court ordered Mercer to repay almost $700 after stealing bedsheets from a department store. No conviction was recorded.[3]

Mercer died after suffering a cardiac arrest while driving at Mermaid Waters on 28 August 2017.[5]

References
  1. "Profile: Dean Mercer". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 February 2008. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  2. Koubaridis, Andrew; Matthey, James (28 August 2017). "High profile former Ironman Dean Mercer dies on the Gold Coast". news.com.au. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  3. "Former ironman Dean Mercer in court over pinching sheets". sunshinecoastdaily.com.au. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  4. Condon, Matt (9 October 1988). "Ironmen fight for top honour". The Sun-Herald. John Mercer, father and coach of the Mercer brothers...Undoubtedly the pressure will be on 20-year-old Darren Mercer, of Thirroul, south of Sydney, to defend his title. He and brother Dean, 18, have trained harder than ever.
  5. "Former Ironman Dean Mercer dies in car crash on way home from training". ABC News. 28 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  6. "Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) entry for Mercer, Dean Paul". It's an Honour, Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 28 August 2017. OAM/Aust Day 1992 (General Division. For service to surf lifesaving
  7. "Welcome Dean Mercer as Surf Sports Officer". kurrawasurf.com.au. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  8. "The Ones To Watch - Open Males" (PDF). Media Guide Coolangatta Gold. p. 15.
  9. Brienen, Julee (26 January 1999). "The mighty Dean machine keeps on keeping strong!". The Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  10. Tobin, Glenn (20 April 1998). "Mercer Marries His Sweetheart". The Illawarra Mercury. Ironman champion Dean Mercer has always ridden on the crest of a winning wave and on Saturday it peaked beautifully when he married long-time sweetheart Kaylene Costello.
  11. Brown, Jenny (5 May 2003). "Dean marries his queen Reen". Woman's Day.
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