Kaarle McCulloch

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 37) Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)[1]
Weight	70 kg (154 lb)
Team information
Discipline	Track
Role	Rider
Rider type	Sprinter
Medal record Women's track cycling Representing  Australia Olympic Games 2012 London Team sprint World Championships 2009 Pruszków Team sprint 2010 Ballerup Team sprint 2011 Apeldoorn Team sprint 2019 Pruszków Team sprint 2012 Melbourne Team sprint 2017 Hong Kong Team sprint 2019 Pruszków Keirin 2020 Berlin Team sprint 2015 Yvelines Team sprint 2019 Pruszków 500 m time trial Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi Team sprint 2018 Gold Coast Team sprint 2018 Gold Coast 500 m time trial 2010 Delhi 500 m time trial 2018 Gold Coast Keirin 2018 Gold Coast Sprint Junior World Championships 2006 Ghent 500 m time trial

Early years

McCulloch grew up in Gymea, New South Wales.^{[citation needed]} 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 stepfather 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 her sporting family supported her. Each of the McCulloch siblings pursued their own sporting dreams. Her younger sister, Abbey McCulloch, is a netball player. She captained the 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

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 to 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

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