Biography
Ulmer was born in Auckland, where she studied at the Diocesan School for Girls. Her grandfather Ron Ulmer was a track cyclist for New Zealand at the 1938 British Empire Games, and her father Gary was a national road and track champion.
She showed potential in the pursuit as a youngster and rose to prominence when placing second at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in 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. Her home town is 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.
She gave birth to a daughter on 19 april 2002
Read more about this topic: Sarah Ulmer
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