Kaarle McCulloch (born 20 January 1988) is an Australian former professional track cyclist and four time World Champion in the team sprint. She also won three golds at the Commonwealth Games and an Olympic bronze medal.[2] She qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and rode in two events, the Women's Keirin where she came ninth, and the Women's Sprint where she came thirteenth.[3][4]

Kaarle McCulloch
Personal information
Born (1988-01-20) 20 January 1988 (age 36)
Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)[1]
Weight70 kg (154 lb)
Team information
DisciplineTrack
RoleRider
Rider typeSprinter
Medal record
Women's track cycling
Representing  Australia
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2012 London Team sprint
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2009 Pruszków Team sprint
Gold medal – first place 2010 Ballerup Team sprint
Gold medal – first place 2011 Apeldoorn Team sprint
Gold medal – first place 2019 Pruszków Team sprint
Silver medal – second place 2012 Melbourne Team sprint
Silver medal – second place 2017 Hong Kong Team sprint
Silver medal – second place 2019 Pruszków Keirin
Silver medal – second place 2020 Berlin Team sprint
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Yvelines Team sprint
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Pruszków 500 m time trial
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2010 Delhi Team sprint
Gold medal – first place 2018 Gold Coast Team sprint
Gold medal – first place 2018 Gold Coast 500 m time trial
Silver medal – second place 2010 Delhi 500 m time trial
Silver medal – second place 2018 Gold Coast Keirin
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Gold Coast Sprint
Junior World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Ghent 500 m time trial

Early years

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McCulloch grew up in Gymea New South Wales. She was a promising middle-distance runner and won middle-distance championships in the 400 metres and 800 metres events when she was 14,15 and 16.

When she was 17 her motivation in track and field waned and she turned to cycling to reinvigorate her Olympic dream. Her step-father Ken Bates introduced her to track cycling. She rose through the ranks quickly eventually competing at the UCI Junior Track World Championships.

McCulloch honed her cycling skills at the St George Cycling Club where she was supported by her sporting family. Each of the McCulloch siblings pursued their own sporting dreams. Her younger sister, Abbey McCulloch, is a netball player. She captained New South Wales Swifts.[5][6][7] Kaarle and Abbey both attended Endeavour Sports High School.[8][9][10] Her younger brother Jack also rode for St George Cycling Club.[11]

Achievements

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McCulloch was part of the Australian sprint team that won bronze at the 2012 Summer Olympics.[12]

At the 2010 Commonwealth Games she won a gold medal in the Team sprint and a silver medal in the 500m Time Trial.

McCulloch took a break from cycling following the London Olympics due a knee injury, missing the 2014 Commonwealth Games. In 2016 she missed selection for the Rio Olympics due to a contentious decision to send former teammate Anna Meares.

McCulloch returned for the 2018 Commonwealth Games winning Gold in the 500m Time Trial and Team Sprint and Silver in the Keiran and Bronze in the Sprint.

She retired from competition in November 2021.[2]

She has a university degree in Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) teaching.

In February 2022 she was appointed as Podium Women’s Sprint Coach for the Great Britain Cycling Team, replacing Jan van Eijden, who left the role in November 2021.[2]

Palmarès

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2006
Australian National Track Championships – Juniors
1st 500m Time Trial
1st Sprint
3rd Keirin
2nd Team Sprint, Australian National Track Championships, Adelaide – Elite
3rd Track World Championships, Ghent – Juniors
Oceania Games
3rd 500m Time Trial
3rd Sprint, Oceania Games
2007
2nd Team Sprint, World Cup, Los Angeles
Australian National Track Championships
3rd 500m Time Trial
2nd Team Sprint
Oceania Cycling Championships
3rd Sprint
1st Keirin
1st Team Sprint
1st 500m Time Trial, European Championship
2nd Team Sprint, World Cup Sydney
2008
3rd Team Sprint, World Cup, Los Angeles
2009
1st Team Sprint (with Anna Meares), 2009–2010 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics, Manchester
1st Team sprint, 2008–09 UCI Track Cycling World Ranking
2010
1st Team Sprint, Track World Championships
Commonwealth Games
1st Team Sprint
2nd 500m Time Trial
2011
1st Team Sprint (with Anna Meares), UCI Track World Championships
2012
3rd Team Sprint, Olympic Games
2nd Team Sprint (with Anna Meares), UCI Track World Championships
2013
2nd Sprint, Invercargill
2014
Oceania Track Championships
1st   Team Sprint (with Stephanie Morton)
3rd Sprint
2015
Oceania Track Championships
1st   Sprint
1st   500m Time Trial
2nd Sprint, Super Drome Cup
Melbourne Cup on Wheels
3rd Keirin
3rd Sprint
2016
Oceania Track Championships
1st   Sprint
1st   500m time trial
ITS Melbourne DISC Grand Prix
2nd Keirin
3rd Sprint
3rd Sprint, ITS Melbourne Grand Prix
2017
Oceania Track Championships
1st   Team Sprint (with Stephanie Morton)
2nd Sprint
2nd Team Sprint, UCI World Track Championships (with Stephanie Morton)
US Sprint GP
2nd Keirin
3rd Sprint
2nd Sprint, ITS Melbourne – DISC Grand Prix
ITS Melbourne – Hisense Grand Prix
2nd Sprint
2nd Keirin
Austral
3rd Keirin
3rd Sprint
3rd Keirin, Fastest Man on Wheels
3rd Sprint, Keirin Cup / Madison Cup
2018
Commonwealth Games
1st Team Sprint (with Stephanie Morton)
1st 500m Time Trial
2nd Keirin
3rd Sprint

References

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  1. ^ "Cycling Track | Athlete Profile: Kaarle MCCULLOCH - Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games". results.gc2018.com.
  2. ^ a b c "Kaarle McCulloch appointed as Podium Women's Sprint Coach". British Cycling. 25 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Kaarle MCCULLOCH". Olympics.com. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo 2021". The Roar. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  5. ^ Forrest, Brad (21 August 2012). "Sutherland Blues are the champs". www.theleader.com.au. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  6. ^ Gasser, Tamara (9 March 2014). "Swifts in fever pitch over 2014 season". www.theleader.com.au. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  7. ^ Zautsen, Daniel (31 May 2017). "Wests Sports Council honoured the region's top athletes at their annual awards night". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  8. ^ Davids, Dave. "Targeted Sports". endeavoursportshighschool.com. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Endeavour Sports High School – where stars are made" (PDF). endeavoursportshighschool.com. 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  10. ^ Parkinson, Andrew (5 May 2016). "Endeavour Sports High School joins NSW Sports High School Association". www.theleader.com.au. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Kaarle McCulloch". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  12. ^ "Kaarle McCulloch Bio, Stats, and Results". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
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