Caroline Ryan, a 32 year old Garda from Kildare who only turned seriously to cycling after missing out on the Beijing Olympics rowing competition, has landed a bronze medal at the World Track Cycling Championships in Australia.
Ryan competed at International level in rowing, including at the World Rowing Championships and became the first Irish woman to win at Henley Royal Regatta in 2008.
She switched to cycling in 2009 under the Cycling Ireland Talent Transfer and Identification Programme and since then has won medals at the Paracycling World Cup and World Championships as the pilot in the tandem, as well as winning National Championships and setting National Records in Track and Road Cycling.
Last month Bus Eireann came on board as a sponsor, alongside Cunga Bikes, enabling her to concentrate on the sport and attend key training camps.  The first reward has come quickly and sights are now set on a place at the London Olympics.
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