Dean Paul Mercer (24 November 1969 – 28 August 2017) was an Australian sportsman who competed in
ironman events.
[
]
Career
Mercer was born in Bulli and raised in Thirroul
Thirroul () is a northern seaside suburb of the city of Wollongong, Australia. Situated between Austinmer and Bulli, it is approximately 13 kilometres north of Wollongong, and 73 km south of Sydney. It lies between the Pacific Ocean and ...
, both suburbs of Wollongong. Early in his career, Mercer and his brother Darren were coached by their father, John. Mercer became a professional ironman at 15 and competed from 1987 to 2010. He won the Australian open ironman titles in 1989 and 1995, and five New South Wales championships. In 1997 he won the World Oceanman series.[ He competed in his last Coolangatta Gold aged 40.]
In 1992, Mercer was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Go ...
(OAM) for "service to surf lifesaving", and in 1990 was inducted into the NSW Hall of Champions at Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney Olympic Park is a suburb of Greater Western Sydney, located 13 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Parramatta Council. It is commonly known as Olympic Park but officially n ...
.
At the time of his death Mercer was director of surf sports, and nippers
Nippers are young surf lifesavers, usually aged between 5 and 14 years old, in clubs across Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Unlike senior surf lifesavers, the majority of them do not patrol the beaches. The focus for Nippers tends to ...
coach, at Kurrawa Surf Club at Broadbeach, Queensland
Broadbeach is a suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In the , Broadbeach had a population of 5,514 people. Geography
Development in the area today mostly incorporates low rise structures, consisting of single bedroom hous ...
a position he held since October 2014.
Private life
Born on 24 November 1969 to Maureen and John Mercer, Mercer grew up in Thirroul, New South Wales.
Mercer married Kaylene Costello in 1998.
In 2003, he married Reen Corbett, an ironwoman competitor in her own right. They later had four boys.
In 2013, a magistrates court ordered Mercer to repay almost $700 after stealing bedsheets from a department store. No conviction was recorded.
Mercer died after suffering a cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and possib ...
while driving at Mermaid Waters
Mermaid Waters is a suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In the , Mermaid Waters had a population of 12,045 people.
Geography
Mermaid Waters is primarily a residential suburb, featuring many homes built along artificial c ...
on 28 August 2017.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mercer, Dean
1969 births
2017 deaths
Australian surf lifesavers
Sportspeople from the Gold Coast, Queensland
Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia