Our top ten New Zealanders: Sarah Ulmer,Champion cyclist

Sarah Ulmer

* Sarah Ulmer,Champion cyclist

Sarah Ulmer sealed the nation's love affair with her in the stifling heat of the Velodrome in Athens. Her feat in winning cycling's 3000m individual pursuit was remarkable.

Two of her competitors turned in great performances, breaking Ulmer's own world record. But she coolly went on to obliterate them and whacked six seconds off her time, bringing home the gold medal in style and capping it with a beaming smile in a memorable front-page Herald photograph, which went around the world.

The medal capped a fabulous career but Ulmer's popularity rests on her remaining the down-to-earth dog lover and downright nice person from Auckland.

She has also won two world cups plus the world championships but success did not come easily. She has grafted for 10 years and this year the 28-year-old put her career in the hands of coach and boyfriend Brendan Cameron, whom she credited for her success.

She started cycling as a teenager, taking junior titles and working hard ever since, just failing to grab glory at the Sydney 2000 Games. But through determination she overcame that disappointment and this year she triumphed.

Her girl-next-door charm hasn't stopped her occasionally being controversial, fronting McDonald's "Eat Smart, Be Active" campaign and this month speaking out against changes to the pokie laws which could see athletes get less from gaming machine proceeds.

In the sporting world she is seen as a leader and an inspiration, not only to members of the Olympic team, but also for young New Zealand women.