 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 20 January 1988 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
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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]
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]
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]
Team Sprint (with Stephanie Morton) Sprint 500m Time Trial Sprint 500m time trial Team Sprint (with Stephanie Morton)
