Aussie success series: Kathy Watt

Cyclist, photographer, coach, event organiser and cycling advocate Kathy Watt is best known for winning the Olympic Games Road race at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. She also won silver in the individual pursuit on the track at the same Games.

Also, in 1992, she won the National Championships Road race and went on to win it three more times and the ITT five times.

Our favourite story about her is the sponsorship she received leading up to the Barcelona Games. Watt was preparing for the Games, where she was contesting the road race, and asked Gerry Ryan to sponsor her for $10,000 to undertake altitude training in the Rocky Mountains.

That early foray gave Ryan his start in supporting cycling, and he soon took his next step, setting up the Jayco Cycling Team. We should all be grateful that Watt was the catalyst for Gerry Ryan’s involvement, as he’s gone on to be the greatest sponsor of road cycling in Australia.

Watt retired from competitive cycling in 2009 and has forged a successful career as a sports photographer, coach and event organiser. She’s also an advocate, particularly for women’s cycling.

In 2012, she was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame as an Athlete Member for her contribution to cycling.