Sarah Ulmer Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Sarah Ulmer
Personal information
Ulmer at the 2002 Women's Challenge
Full name	Sarah Elizabeth Ulmer
Born	(1976-03-14) 14 March 1976 (age 49) Auckland, New Zealand
Height	167 cm (5 ft 5+1⁄2 in)
Weight	64 kg (141 lb; 10.1 st)
Team information
Discipline	Road and track
Role	Rider
Rider type	Pursuiter / points race / time-trialist / road racer

Sarah Elizabeth Ulmer, born on March 14, 1976, is a famous former cyclist from New Zealand. She made history by becoming the first New Zealander to win an Olympic gold medal in cycling. She achieved this amazing feat in the 3km individual pursuit race at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where she also set a new world record!

After the 2004 Olympics, Sarah held the top titles in the individual pursuit. She was the Olympic, Commonwealth, and World Champion. She also held the world records for these events.

About Sarah Ulmer
Major Achievements
Photo gallery
See also

About Sarah Ulmer

Sarah Ulmer was born in Auckland, New Zealand. She went to the Diocesan School for Girls there. Cycling runs in her family! Her grandfather, Ron Ulmer, was a track cyclist for New Zealand. He competed in the 1938 British Empire Games. Her father, Gary, was also a national champion in both road and track cycling.

Individual Pursuit Races

The individual pursuit is a track cycling event. Two riders start on opposite sides of the track. They race to catch each other or finish their distance in the fastest time. Sarah was incredibly good at this race.

In 1994, Sarah won the World Junior Championship. She also earned a silver medal at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Canada. She finished the race in 3 minutes and 51 seconds.

At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, she placed seventh. She had qualified sixth fastest with a time of 3 minutes and 43 seconds.

Sarah won a gold medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. Her winning time was 3 minutes and 41.7 seconds.

At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, she qualified fourth fastest. She just missed out on a bronze medal by a tiny 0.08 of a second.

In 2002, at the Manchester Commonwealth Games, she won another gold medal. She also set a new Games record of 3 minutes and 32.4 seconds.

World Record Breaking Performances

Sarah's most amazing year was 2004. In May, she won the World Championship in Melbourne. During qualifying, she set a new world record of 3 minutes and 30.6 seconds.

Then, at the 2004 Athens Olympics, she broke her own world record! In qualifying, she rode in 3 minutes and 26.4 seconds. In the final race, she was even faster, winning the gold medal with an incredible time of 3 minutes and 24.5 seconds. Sarah reduced the world record by a huge six seconds in total. The other medalists also rode faster than the old world record.

In May 2010, American cyclist Sarah Hammer broke Sarah Ulmer's world record. She set a time of 3 minutes and 22.269 seconds in Mexico. This track is known for fast times because it is at a high altitude.

Another New Zealander, Alison Shanks, set the current world championship record. She rode 3 minutes and 27.268 seconds in Melbourne in 2012.

Other Cycling Achievements

Sarah Ulmer was also very good at points races. In this track event, riders earn points for sprinting during the race. She won a junior world championship in this event. She also placed third and fourth at senior world championships. At the Commonwealth Games, she earned a silver medal and placed fifth twice.

After her Olympic success in 2004, Sarah switched to road racing. This type of cycling takes place on regular roads. She competed in road races in many countries until 2006.

Life After Cycling

Sarah Ulmer trained at the velodrome (a special track for cycling) in Te Awamutu. Her hometown is Cambridge. Sarah is also a mother to two daughters.

In 2005, Sarah was recognized for her amazing achievements in cycling. She was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM). This is a special award given to people who have done great things for New Zealand.

Sarah officially stopped competing in cycling on November 24, 2007. She attended the 2008 Olympics as a mentor. This meant she helped and guided other athletes. In 2011, Sarah became an "ambassador" for the New Zealand Cycle Trail. This trail encourages people to explore New Zealand by bike.