Kaarle McCulloch

{{Infobox cyclist

| name = Kaarle McCulloch

| image = File:UCI Track World Championships 2020 082.jpg

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1988|1|20}}

| birth_place = Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia

| height = 1.68 m{{Cite web|url=https://results.gc2018.com/en/cycling-track/athlete-profile-n6028620-kaarle-mcculloch.htm|title=Cycling Track | Athlete Profile: Kaarle MCCULLOCH - Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games|website=results.gc2018.com}}

| weight = 70 kg

| currentteam =

| discipline = Track

| role = Rider

| ridertype = Sprinter

| majorwins =

| medaltemplates=

{{MedalCountry|{{AUS}}}}

}}

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. 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.{{Cite web|title=Kaarle MCCULLOCH|url=https://olympics.com/en/athletes/Kaarle-McCulloch|access-date=2021-12-17|website=Olympics.com}}{{Cite web|title=Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo 2021|url=https://www.theroar.com.au/olympics/australian-olympic-team/|access-date=2021-12-17|website=The Roar|language=en-US}}

Early years

McCulloch grew up in Gymea, New South Wales.{{cn|date=June 2025}} 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.{{cite web|last=Forrest|first=Brad|date=21 August 2012|title=Sutherland Blues are the champs|url=https://www.theleader.com.au/story/268284/sutherland-blues-are-the-champs/|access-date=2 January 2021|publisher=www.theleader.com.au}}{{cite web|last=Gasser|first=Tamara|date=9 March 2014|title=Swifts in fever pitch over 2014 season|url=https://www.theleader.com.au/story/2129975/swifts-in-fever-pitch-over-2014-season/|access-date=2 January 2021|publisher=www.theleader.com.au}}{{cite web|last=Zautsen|first=Daniel|date=31 May 2017|title=Wests Sports Council honoured the region's top athletes at their annual awards night|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/macarthur/wests-sports-council-honoured-the-regions-top-athletes-at-their-annual-awards-night/news-story/1dc384d8be1f43d068b053c7eebd5fcc|access-date=2 January 2021|publisher=www.dailytelegraph.com.au}} Kaarle and Abbey both attended Endeavour Sports High School.{{cite web|last=Davids|first=Dave|title=Targeted Sports|url=https://endeavoursportshighschool.com/targeted-sports/|access-date=3 January 2021|publisher=endeavoursportshighschool.com}}{{cite web|date=2017|title=Endeavour Sports High School – where stars are made|url=https://endeavoursportshighschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Prospectus-Brochure.pdf|access-date=3 January 2021|publisher=endeavoursportshighschool.com}}{{cite web|last=Parkinson|first=Andrew|date=5 May 2016|title=Endeavour Sports High School joins NSW Sports High School Association|url=https://www.theleader.com.au/story/3890593/new-group-for-sports-schools/|access-date=3 January 2021|publisher=www.theleader.com.au}} Her younger brother Jack also rode for St George Cycling Club.{{Cite web|title=Kaarle McCulloch|url=https://www.olympics.com.au/olympians/kaarle-mcculloch/|access-date=2021-12-17|website=Australian Olympic Committee|language=en-AU}}

Achievements

McCulloch was part of the Australian sprint team that won bronze at the 2012 Summer Olympics.{{Cite web|title=Kaarle McCulloch Bio, Stats, and Results|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mc/kaarle-mcculloch-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418070840/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mc/kaarle-mcculloch-1.html|archive-date=18 April 2020|access-date=23 June 2017|website=sports-reference.com}}

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.

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.{{cite web |url =https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/gbcyclingteam/article/20220225-Kaarle-McCulloch-appointed-as-podium-women-s-sprint-coach-0|date =25 February 2022|title =Kaarle McCulloch appointed as Podium Women's Sprint Coach|website =British Cycling}}