Sarah Ulmer
Encyclopedia
Sarah Elizabeth Ulmer, ONZM
(born 14 March 1976 in Auckland
) is the first New Zealander to win an Olympic cycling gold. She won a gold medal
and set world records at the 2004 Summer Olympics
at Athens
,.
When she left Athens at the end of the games, Ulmer held the Olympic title, the Olympic and world records, the Commonwealth Games
title and the Commonwealth Games record for the 3000m individual pursuit
.
In mid 2011, it was announced that she would be the official 'ambassador' for the New Zealand Cycle Trail.
in Auckland where she also studied French in Form 5. She showed potential in the pursuit as a youngster and rose to prominence when placing second at the 1994 Commonwealth Games
at Olympics with 3m 43.176s.
Two years later she won the gold medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
in Kuala Lumpur
with 3m 41.667s. She looked a medal prospect for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but although she improved to 3m 38.93s, she came fourth.
Two more years on, Ulmer took six seconds off her Sydney time to win the gold at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth
games, in the record time of 3m 32.467s.
On 27 March 2004 she set a world record of 3m 30.604s when qualifying for the pursuit at the world championships
in Melbourne
.
Ulmer went to the Athens 2004 Olympics 3000m pursuit and broke the world record in qualifying with 3m 26.4s. She took almost two seconds off that time with 3m 24.537s to win the gold and set a world record. While training in Europe, Ulmer had broken the world record more than once, but this was not made public to reduce pressure from the media.
Ulmer reduced the record by more than six seconds at Athens and two other competitors, Katie Mactier
from Australia
and Leontien Ziljaard-van Moorsel
from the Netherlands
, also finished in less than the record time.
Ulmer trained at the velodrome in Te Awamutu
and is a figure both there and her home town of Cambridge
.
In the 2005 New Years Honours List, Ulmer was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit
for services to cycling.
She announced her retirement
from cycling on 24 November 2007 but said she would still be attending the 2008 Olympics as a mentor.
Ulmer welcomed daughter Lilly on 27 October 2009 with her husband.
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(born 14 March 1976 in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
) is the first New Zealander to win an Olympic cycling gold. She won a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
and set world records at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
at Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
,.
When she left Athens at the end of the games, Ulmer held the Olympic title, the Olympic and world records, the Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
title and the Commonwealth Games record for the 3000m individual pursuit
Individual pursuit
The individual pursuit is a track cycling event where two cyclists begin the race from a stationary position on opposite sides of the track.The event is held over 4 km for men and 3 km for women. The two riders start at the same time and set off to complete the race distance in the...
.
In mid 2011, it was announced that she would be the official 'ambassador' for the New Zealand Cycle Trail.
Biography
Ulmer was a student of Diocesan School for GirlsDiocesan School for Girls (Auckland)
Diocesan School for Girls is a private girls' school in Epsom, Auckland, New Zealand. It is consistently a top-achieving school nationally. The school is Anglican-based and was established in 1903. It caters to international students and has accommodation for 35 boarders at Innes House...
in Auckland where she also studied French in Form 5. She showed potential in the pursuit as a youngster and rose to prominence when placing second at the 1994 Commonwealth Games
1994 Commonwealth Games
The 1994 Commonwealth Games were held in Victoria, in the province of British Columbia in Canada, from 18 August to 28 August 1994.The XV Commonwealth Games marked South Africa's return to the Commonwealth Games following the apartheid era, and over 30 years since the country last competed in the...
at Olympics with 3m 43.176s.
Two years later she won the gold medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
1998 Commonwealth Games
The 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century. A record 70 nations supplied 3638 athletes...
in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
with 3m 41.667s. She looked a medal prospect for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but although she improved to 3m 38.93s, she came fourth.
Two more years on, Ulmer took six seconds off her Sydney time to win the gold at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
games, in the record time of 3m 32.467s.
On 27 March 2004 she set a world record of 3m 30.604s when qualifying for the pursuit at the world championships
World Championship of Track Cycling (women)
The women's UCI Track Cycling World Championships are the world championship events for track cycling and are administered by the Union Cycliste Internationale, the governing body for sport cycling worldwide. The world championships are held annually at various locations around the world. Track...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
Ulmer went to the Athens 2004 Olympics 3000m pursuit and broke the world record in qualifying with 3m 26.4s. She took almost two seconds off that time with 3m 24.537s to win the gold and set a world record. While training in Europe, Ulmer had broken the world record more than once, but this was not made public to reduce pressure from the media.
Ulmer reduced the record by more than six seconds at Athens and two other competitors, Katie Mactier
Katie Mactier
Katie Mactier is an Australian professional racing cyclist. She began racing in 1999 at 24. She was educated at Wesley College, Melbourne.She is a member of the Caulfield Carnegie cycling club...
from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Leontien Ziljaard-van Moorsel
Leontien van Moorsel
Leontine Martha Henrica Petronella van Moorsel is a former Dutch racing cyclist.Van Moorsel started her career in the late 1980s and was soon one of the best cyclists in the world. She won major races both on the track, and on the road...
from the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, also finished in less than the record time.
Ulmer trained at the velodrome in Te Awamutu
Te Awamutu
Te Awamutu is a town in the Waikato in the North Island of New Zealand. It is the council seat of the Waipa District and serves as a service town for the farming communities which surround it...
and is a figure both there and her home town of Cambridge
Cambridge, New Zealand
Cambridge is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. Situated 24 kilometres southeast of Hamilton, on the banks of the Waikato River, Cambridge is known as "The Town of Trees & Champions".In the 1840s Cambridge had a Maori population but in the 1850's missionaries and...
.
In the 2005 New Years Honours List, Ulmer was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
for services to cycling.
She announced her retirement
Retirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
from cycling on 24 November 2007 but said she would still be attending the 2008 Olympics as a mentor.
Ulmer welcomed daughter Lilly on 27 October 2009 with her husband.