Ken Dennis

Ken Dennis (May 13, 1937 – April 7, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada) was an American track and field athlete. As a Masters sprinter he held the world record in the 100 metres in several age groups. Standing 5'3" the short Dennis was known for his soft spoken nature, his greetings of "Hey man" or "Go man" and his blazing fast starts.

Dennis first began sprinting at Fremont High School in Los Angeles where he opened eyes with a 9.5 100 yard dash before transferring to Centennial High School in Compton. At Centennial, he was joined by Charles Dumas, who had transferred from Jefferson High School. One year removed from winning the Olympic gold medal and being the first person to jump 7 feet, Dumas winning the high jump was a foregone conclusion. But it was Dennis' 13 points winning the 100, second in the 220 and 4x220 yard relay that led Centennial to the overall team title at the CIF California State Meet in 1955. Dennis was the top high school 100 yard dash man nationwide that year.

Dennis ran collegiately for the University of California.

On September 23, 1983, Dennis set the M45 World Record in the 100 metres at 10.92 in the heats before winning the World Masters Athletics Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico. His time in the final was 11.03, was intrinsically superior to Thane Baker's existing hand timed world record of 10.8. His record would last for almost 7 years.

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