Amy Gillett facts for kids

Amy Elizabeth Gillett (born Safe; 9 January 1976 – 18 July 2005) was an amazing Australian athlete. She was a top competitor in two different sports: track cycling and rowing. Amy proudly represented Australia in both of these sports. Sadly, she passed away in an accident while training with her cycling team in Germany. After her death, the Amy Gillett Foundation was created to help make roads safer and support young female cyclists.

Amy's Early Life and Sports Career

Amy Gillett was born in Adelaide, a city in South Australia. She went to school at Annesley College. From a young age, Amy showed incredible talent in rowing.

A World Champion Rower

Amy became a world champion junior rower. In 1993, she won a gold medal in the coxless pair event at the Junior World Championships. The next year, 1994, she won another gold medal in the women's single scull. A "single scull" is a type of boat where one person rows with two oars. That same year, she finished fifth in the single scull at a big competition in Paris called the Nations Cup.

From Rowing to Cycling

When Amy was 20, she was part of the Australian women's rowing team at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. Her coach during her rowing career was Simon Gillett, whom she later married in January 2004. They moved to Mount Helen in Victoria.

After not making the Australian rowing team for the Sydney Olympics, Amy decided to try a new sport. She switched to cycling and quickly showed great promise. She was even given a scholarship by the Australian Institute of Sport for both rowing and cycling, which helps talented athletes.

Cycling Success

In 2002, Amy won the Individual Pursuit Australian Titles in cycling. From 2002 to 2005, she was part of the Australian Institute of Sport's top cycling team. She represented Australia in the 2002 and 2003 Cycling World Cups.

Even though she wasn't on the Australian cycling team for the 2004 Athens Olympics, Amy's results kept getting better in 2005. She even placed third in the 2005 Road Time Trial Australian Open Titles. At the time of her death, she was considered one of the top 100 women road cyclists in the world. Australian cycling officials believed she could win a medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in the time trial event. Besides her sports career, Amy was also working on her doctorate degree at the University of South Australia.

A Tragic Accident

Amy Gillett died in an accident near Zeulenroda, Germany, on 18 July 2005. She was training with five other members of the Australian women's cycling team. A young driver lost control of her car and crashed into the group.

Five of Amy's teammates were also injured in the accident. Their names were Katie Brown, Lorian Graham, Kate Nichols, Alexis Rhodes, and Louise Yaxley. They were all taken to the hospital for treatment. The driver of the car was later fined and had her driving license taken away for a period of time.

The Amy Gillett Foundation

After Amy's death, her husband, Simon Gillett, and the Australian Cycling Federation started the Amy Gillett Foundation. This foundation was created to honor Amy and continue her spirit of helping others.

What the Foundation Aimed to Do

The foundation had several important goals:

• To help Amy's five injured teammates with their recovery.
• To create a scholarship program for young women cyclists. This program helped them with both their sports training and their school studies.
• To support projects that teach cyclists and drivers how to be safer on the roads.

In 2018, the way the scholarship worked changed. Now, the scholarship winner gets to race as part of a professional team.

Amy's Gran Fondo and Road Safety

The "Wiggle Amy's Gran Fondo" is a special cycling event that used to raise money for the foundation. It takes place along the beautiful Great Ocean Road in Australia. It's one of the few cycling events in Australia where the road is completely closed to cars, making it very safe for riders.

After the foundation closed, Amy's mother, Mary Safe, started working with another group called the Get Home Safe Foundation in early 2024. They are teaching drivers about something called the "Dutch Reach." This is a way to open a car door with the hand furthest from the door, which makes you look over your shoulder and helps you see if a cyclist is coming. It's a great way to protect cyclists.

Scholarship Recipients

Many talented young women cyclists have received the Amy Gillett Scholarship. Here are some of them:

• 2019 Sarah Gigante
• 2018 Grace Brown
• 2017 Lucy Kennedy
• 2016 Louisa Lobigs
• 2015 Kimberley Wells
• 2014 Lizzie Williams
• 2013 Jessica Mundy
• 2012 Jessica Allen
• 2011 Joanne Hogan
• 2010 Rachel Neylan
• 2009 Amber Halliday
• 2008 Carlee Taylor
• 2007 Carla Ryan
• 2006 Jessie MacLean

Amy Gillett Bikeway

In January 2010, a special cycling path was opened in Amy's honor. It's called the Amy Gillett Bikeway and is located in Oakbank, South Australia. The bikeway follows part of an old railway line, giving people a safe and enjoyable place to ride their bikes.