29 Facts About Anna Meares

Anna Maree Devenish Meares was born on 21 September 1983 and is an Australian retired track cyclist.

Anna Meares has been the 500 metre track time trial world champion on four occasions, and a gold medallist at the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.

Anna Meares was the flag-bearer and captain for the Australian team at the 2016 Summer Olympics, where she won a bronze medal in keirin.

On 16 October 2016, Anna Meares announced her official retirement from her current competitive cycling career.

Anna Meares started competitive cycling at the age of 11 in 1994, following her older sister Kerrie Meares into the sport.

In 2002 Anna Meares narrowly missed a bronze medal in the inaugural inclusion of the 500-metre time trial at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, while her older sister, Kerrie Anna Meares won the gold medal in the event.

Anna Meares had to beat a new Olympic record set just minutes previously by the reigning World Record holder, Yonghua Jiang of China.

Anna Meares won a bronze medal in the Women's 200m Sprint event in Athens.

In May 2004 at the Time Trial World Titles in Melbourne Anna Meares claimed the title of Women's World time trial champion, and won a silver for the sprint event.

In 2005, Anna Meares enrolled in a Bachelor of Learning Design course at Central Queensland University, but deferred her studies to concentrate on sport.

Anna Meares made an astonishing come back from a very bad cycling accident at the World Cup in January 2008 when she broke her neck.

Anna Meares crashed in the third round of the World Cup circuit in Los Angeles in January 2008, seven months out from the Olympics.

Anna Meares had an eventful semi-final in the sprint at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

In qualification for the individual sprint Anna Meares broke the world record for the flying start 200 metres.

Anna Meares completed her four laps in just 10.782 seconds shaving 11 thousands of a second off Simona Krupeckaite's mark.

Pendleton clashed with the Australian in their first heat and ended up on the floor before Anna Meares was relegated from the second for going outside of her lane.

Anna Meares set her second world record of the championships in her final event.

The 'Project' involved Anna Meares racing against male sprinter: Alex Bird; who would mimic Pendleton: former "friend" turned "enemy".

Anna Meares won a bronze medal with Kaarle McCulloch in the team sprint.

Anna Meares took rest after the 2012 Olympics and skipped the 2013 World Championship.

In late February 2015, Anna Meares competed at the world championships and won three medals.

Anna Meares separated from her husband of nine years, Mark Chadwick, early in 2015.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics Anna Meares took part in three events.

Anna Meares won a bronze medal in the keirin, placing tenth in the individual sprint and fourth in the team sprint.

In 2001 Anna Meares was awarded the Australian Junior Women's Track Cyclist of the Year.

Anna Meares was voted Australian Institute of Sport Athlete of the Year in 2007 and 2011 and 2011 inducted into the AIS 'Best of the Best'.

Anna Meares served as the Australian flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.

On 9 December 2016, Anna Meares received the Key to the City of Rockhampton.

Anna Meares is a worldwide ambassador for the Port Adelaide Football Club.