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Personal Details
Sports Background
Current Appointments
Most Memorable Moments
Personal Best Sporting Performances
Major Awards/Honours
Australian Teams
Sara Carrigan has been an Australian Professional cyclist who has enjoyed a successful cycling career of over 13 years, which commenced at the age of fifteen after being identified through a High School Sports Talent Search.
Some of Sara’s greatest successes include winning the Olympic Gold Medal in the 130 km Road Race at the 2004 Athens Olympics Games, 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games medallist, two-time National Champion, World Cup winner, medallist at every Australian Championships from 2002 to 2008, Australian representative at 8 World Championships, 2 Olympic Games (2004 and 2008) and 2 Commonwealth Games (2002 and 2006), being named Australian Female Road Cyclist of the Year 2002, 2003 and 2004, receiving the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the 2005 Australia Day Honours List.
Sara announced her retirement from professional sport in December 2008 following the Beijing Olympic Games and is now fulfilling her ambition to pass on her years of cycling knowledge and experience to help others relish in the simple joys and wonders of riding a bike that she has enjoyed for half her life. Sara has founded the Sara Carrigan Cycling School to provide a friendly, fun and safe environment to deliver rudimentary cycling training and skills development for all levels of ability from total beginners to the more experienced. Sara is one of Australia’s most dedicated and passionate advocates of the sport.
“Cycling has allowed me to achieve one of my life dreams and now through the bike, I am helping others do the same; I love teaching people to ride. I love showing people what they can enjoy on a bike. I love being a part of people’s journey of overcoming fears and feeling excited and proud of themselves. I love it when these new, ‘never cycled before’ people become hooked on their bicycle. I love it when people’s eyes are opened up to a whole other world of freedom, endorphins, relationships and happiness. I love how the simple act of ‘learning to ride’ turns into so much more.”
Personal Details
Date of Birth - 7th September 1980
Place of Birth – Gunnedah, NSW
Resides – Nerang, Gold Coast, Queensland
Ambitions - Pass on years of cycling knowledge and experience, Own and manage successful, inspirational business
Occupation – Coach, Owner/Director of Sara Carrigan Cycling
Education - Grade 12, Bachelor of Business (Property Development & Real Estate), UCI/CA Level 1 Cycling Coach, Level 2 Cycling Coach (in progress)
Other languages – Some Italian & Japanese
Sports Background
Discipline - Road Cycling
Home Cycling Club – Gold Coast Cats Cycling Club
Home State - Queensland
Started Competitive Cycling – 15 years of age
First Australian Team – 1997 at 17 years of age – Selected for Oceania Championships, NZ
Current Appointments
Bicycle Gold Coast – President
Gold Coast City Council – Active travel Ambassador
Asia-Pacific Cycle Congress 2011 – Key note speaker
Gold Coast CATS Cycling Club – Club Coach
GC Bid 2018 Commonwealth Games – Committee Member
Heroes for Hearts – Sponsor/supporter
Australian Cycle Classic – Event Ambassador
TEMC 2011 – Keynote Speaker
Most memorable achievements
Gold Medal 2004 Athens Olympic Games – Road Race
Awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM), January 2005
4th 1998 Junior World Championships Netherlands – Road Race
Personal Best Sporting Performances
1st 2004 Olympic Games Athens – Road Race
1st 2003 World Cup Australia – Road Race
1st 2002 National Championships – Time Trial
1st 2003 National Championships – Time Trial
2nd 2008, 2006, 2005 & 2004 National Championships – Time Trial
2nd 2006 & 2005 National Championships – Road Race
3rd 2008 National Championships – Road Race
3rd 2006 Commonwealth Games Melbourne - Time Trial
3rd 2003 World Cup Spain – Road Race
3rd 2004 National Championships – Road Race
4th 2005 World Cup Russia – 3km individual pursuit
4th 2003 Overall World Cup Standings
4th 2002 World Championships Belgium – Road Race
5th 2003 Overall World Ranking
5th 2002 World Championships Belgium – Time Trial
5th 2002 Commonwealth Games Manchester – Time Trial
Major Awards / Honours
2010 Griffith Award for Academic Excellence (Top 5% of students)
2010 Gold Coast Business Excellence Award July
2010 Brisbane-Gold Coast 100km Cycle Challenge Ambassador
2010 North QLD Games Ambassador
2009 Public street named in honour called “Sara Carrigan Court”
2009 Western Games Ambassador
2005 Medal of the Order of Australia OAM
2006 Australia Day Ambassador
2008 Member International Golden Key Honour Society
2004 Alice Springs Masters Games Ambassador
2004 Australian Female Road Cyclist of the Year
2003 Australian Female Road Cyclist of the Year
2002 Australian Female Road Cyclist of the Year
2006, 2005 & 2002 QLD Female Road Cyclist of the Year
2006, 2005 & 1999 Griffith University Blue Award
1999-2009 Griffith University Sports Scholarship
Somerset College Honours Award
1999-2008 AIS Scholarship
1997-2008 QAS Scholarship
Australian Teams
2008 Olympic Games, CHINA
2008 World Cups, CANADA, BELGIUM
2007 World Cups & World Championships, GERMANY
2006 Commonwealth Games, AUSTRALIA
2005 World Cups & World Championships, SPAIN
2004 Australian Olympic Team, ATHENS
2004 World Cups, EUROPE
2003 World Cups, EUROPE & World Championships, CANADA
2002 World Cups, EUROPE & World Championships, BELGIUM
2002 Commonwealth Games, ENGLAND
2001 World Cups, EUROPE & World Championships, PORTUGAL
2000 World Cups, EUROPE & World Championships, FRANCE
1999 World Cups, EUROPE & World Road Championships, ITALY
1998 World Junior Road Championships, NETHERLANDS
1998 World Cup, SWITZERLAND
1997 Oceania Championships, NEW ZEALAND
