Ken Merten

Ken Merten grew up in Los Angeles, but has resided in Dallas, Texas since attending Southern Methodist University and graduating in 1968.

He was a member of the 1968 Olympic team in Mexico City, competing in both the 100 and 200 m breaststroke events.

Ken first established his national prominence in 1963 by winning his first of ten National Championships and qualifying for the 1963 Pan American Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil where he won a silver medal in the 200 meter Breaststroke.  Four years later, he won two bronze medals in the 1967 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada in the 100 & 200 meter breaststroke events.

Also in 1967, Ken won three gold medals in the FISU Games (World University Games) in Tokyo Japan in both breaststroke events and the 400 Medley Relay.  The relay established a new World Record.

Ken also won two NCAA Championships in 1967 in the 100 and 200 yd breaststroke events setting American and NCAA records in both races.  He was SMU’s first ever NCAA swimming champion.

Ken is now retired after spending most of his career (32 years) in Independent School education as a teacher, coach and administrator.  He is dedicated to fitness and has been passionate about windsurfing for the last 27 years.  He has won one National title and many State and US Open Championships, as well as a bronze medal in the 1989 Mistral World Windsurfing Championships.