Regarded as the greatest female track cyclist of all time, Anna Meares OAM, won 18 gold medals, 16 silver medals and 10 bronze medals at the Olympics, and Commonwealth Games. Her current career in team management and logistics for the Australian Olympic Team may not have as many thrills and spills, but it has become the ride of her life.

Anna took on the Chef de Mission of the Australian Olympic Team for last year’s Paris Olympic Games, followed by the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. ‘I couldn't think of a better job,’ she says. ‘I’m working with the most motivated, driven people you could ever come across.’

Showcasing strong leadership qualities, she handles sensitive issues with grace, and demonstrates the power of empathy in guiding the team. 

‘I grew a lot in my capacity and understanding,’ explains Anna, who will speak at the HIA National Conference 2025 in Melbourne on 15-17 May. ‘I learnt that consistency and composure are absolutely critical. Understanding your people and what they need and don't need are really important.’

Country living

When Anna took on the role for the Paris Olympics, her family had to work around her career. ‘My husband, Nick Flyger, has been incredible. He resigned as head coach in New Zealand so I could take on this role. He became the full-time carer at home [with their five-year-old daughter and three-year-old son], as well as my EA and PA.’

Whether handling tough questions at packed media conferences or managing scrutiny around athletes and logistics, Anna uses mental acumen from her track racing days – concentration, drive and fearlessness. 

‘I’ve always been competitive. I wanted to be the best, whether at colouring-in sessions in Grade 1 to get the sticker from my teacher or competing at sports carnival day.’

Sister act

Growing up in the small Queensland mining town of Middlemount, Anna was the youngest child of four siblings, with Tracey, Kerrie and Scott.

‘It was quicker to ride to our mates' places than walk,’ she recalls. Anna and her sister Kerrie drew inspiration from watching track cyclists on TV during the 1994 Commonwealth Games.

The sisters soon vied for national selection, representing Australia on junior and then senior cycling teams. With Kerrie racing in the senior division, Anna won a junior world championship in 2001, and both were then selected for the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

‘It helped to have my sister there because she was talented from the get-go,’ says Anna, who was 18 in Manchester. ‘She absorbed a lot of attention, pressure and expectations. It meant I had an easier path.’

With some sister rivalry, they competed together at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in their hometown of Melbourne. This was the first time representing their country in front of their parents. Anna won gold and Kerrie bronze in the 500-metre time trial.

Anna admits that competing against her sister added many complexities, particularly when taking on international races. ‘Since I'm the baby of the family, I love getting one up over my sister,’ she says, laughing. ‘But as I grew older, it hurt more because she's the person you want to succeed. But success for her meant failure for me. That was tough.’

Severe injuries

During international tours, the bond between the sisters kept them going during the most thrilling and agonising times. At the Los Angeles World Cup in 2008, Anna was thrown from her bike in a collision with other riders. She sustained a hairline fracture to the C2 vertebra in her neck, dislocated her right shoulder and suffered torn ligaments and tendons, as well as a hip injury. It was estimated she was going 50-60km an hour at the moment of the crash.

‘I remember being told about my broken neck and feeling my dreams of Beijing were shattered,’ says Anna. ‘Despite everything, I still wanted to continue. I battled with my head and my heart 456 times a day. I was thinking, I’m in, I'm out. It was a real roller-coaster ride.’

It was her sister Kerrie, who had retired from racing after the 2006 Commonwealth Games, who supported her during this difficult time. She was the sounding board when making major decisions.

Despite her severe injuries, Anna was back on the bike within 10 days. At the Melbourne time trial four-and-a-half months later, she eclipsed the Olympic qualifying time set by selectors in the 200-metre sprint.

Just seven months later, she won the silver medal in the women’s individual sprint at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Anna’s drive and determination led to one of the most intense and historic sporting moments during the 2012 London Olympics. Anna won gold in the sprint against long-term rival Victoria Pendleton of Great Britain. That gold was matched by a bronze medal won in the team sprint.

Four years later, she was the flag-bearer and captain for the Australian team at the 2016 Summer Olympics, where she won a bronze medal in keirin [motor-paced cycle racing]. This made her the first Australian to win individual medals in four consecutive Olympics. 

Secret ingredient

Considered by many to be the greatest Australian cyclist of all time, Anna found her most challenging time when transitioning to a new career. ‘It was really rough for me,’ she admits. ‘There were many personal challenges and a lot of recalibrations.’

Now taking on the role of Chef de Mission for the Los Angeles Olympics, Anna has found the key element that works in any discipline – from elite sport to business logistics.

‘It’s important to be at peace with your reason of purpose,’ she explains. ‘This allows you to sit down and work out your success measures. It allows you to hold yourself accountable and not necessarily heed the pressures of expectations along the way.’

‘When you have found something with which you’re truly connected, you’re still allowed to have fun. That was important for me in Paris when working with my team. There’s a lot on the line with plenty of stress for them. But we’re here because we love what we do, and we’re allowed to have fun doing it.’

Don't miss out

Book now to secure early bird discount for the HIA National Conference 2025 in Melbourne on 15-17 May. Join us for world-class speakers, interactive workshops, building products expo, networking opportunities and the HIA-CSR Australian Housing Awards.

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First published 25 February 2025