In 2018, the South West Sydney Academy of Sport inducted the inaugural two elite sporting ambassadors into the Academy.
The intent of the ambassador program is to be an outstanding role model, able to inspire and engage others.
Our Academy ambassadors have the ability to guide and support the overall and holistic development of our very own young, talent identified local athletes.
Sarah Ryan OAM
After being awarded an Australian Institute of Sport swimming scholarship, Sarah gained her initial selection for Australia, at the 1994 Commonwealth Games.
In 1996, in Atlanta, Sarah came sixth in the 100-metre freestyle, and was a member of the 4×100-metre medley relay team, along with Susie O’Neill, Samantha Riley and Nichole Stevenson, which claimed silver behind the United States team.
At the 1998 Commonwealth Games Sarah was a part of the team which won the 4×100-metre freestyle relay - only days after the death of her father.
At the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Sarah collected a silver medal for swimming in the heats of the 4×100-metre medley relay, where Australia again finished second to the Americans.
In 2001, possibly Sarah’s most cherished moment came at the FINA World Championships in Japan, when she ‘anchored’ the 4×100-metre medley relay team - for a long-awaited win over the USA.
It was the first time that Australia had defeated the Americans at either an Olympic, or World level, in the event.
In 2002, Australia broke another drought, with Sarah being part of a 4×100-metre freestyle team, which defeated the Americans for the first time since 1956.
In 2003, Sarah retired and commenced a role as a breakfast radio presenter, as well as an occasional swimming analyst for the SBS and Channel Nine’s Wide World of Sports.
However, with Australia's young sprinting talent on the rise, Sarah made a comeback to qualify for the 4×100-metre freestyle relay team for the 2004 Olympic Games, where Sarah again swam in the heats, helping Australia claim Gold in a world record time of 3min 35.94 seconds.
Sarah then retired for the second time and has since given her time freely to support many various causes, including our very own South West Sydney Academy of Sport.
Sarah’s sporting honours are amazing and include the following high achievements.
- Pan Pacific Championships- Dual Gold and seven-time Silver, Dual Bronze medallist
- World Championship Short Course - Dual Silver and Dual Bronze medallist
- World Championship Long Course - Gold and Silver medallist
- Commonwealth Games - Dual Gold and Silver medallist
- Olympic Games - Gold and dual Silver medallist
Kaarle McCulloch
Kaarle is an Australian professional track cyclist and NSW Institute of Sport scholarship holder.
Kaarle says, to be your best you need to be intrinsically motivated and tough.
It’s not easy to stay at the top of a sport for more than 10 years.
And it takes courage ‘day in and day out’ to back yourself and continue to push yourself.
Kaarle continues to find that strength through her support team, including her NSW Institute of Sport psychologist and also - by continually reflecting on the things she has achieved to date.
Kaarle said, her proudest moment in sport was in 2015 - where she made her return to international racing after having more than a year rehabilitating an injury.
She won a Bronze medal at the World Championships and it re-confirmed for her, that she was good enough, to participate at the highest level.
Kaarle said, the worst thing about being an elite athlete for her, was the time between ‘off season and on season’.
As a sprinter she spends more than 7 months of her year preparing to race - and that is a long-long time.
In contrast, Kaarle says she loves what she does, she gets to do what she is totally passionate about - and travel the world and meet people who have similar ambitions as her.
As she has matured, Kaarle also enjoys inspiring our younger talent, in any sport - to be the very best that they possibly can be.
Kaarle’s sporting honours are also amazing and include the following high achievements.
- World Championships - Triple Gold, Dual Silver and Bronze medallist
- Commonwealth Games - Triple Gold medallist
- Olympic Games - Bronze medallist
