John O'Sullivan

John ‘Sully’ Sullivan was a cyclist for Australia at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. In 1954 he competed on the track and the road in three events at the Cardiff Empire Games. His best result was 13th in the 4000m individual pursuit. At the Melbourne Olympics he placed 41st in the 116.6 miles road race, 15 minutes behind the winner, despite suffering a punctured tire. He was the first Australian to finish. With two of Australia’s four-man team not finishing, they did not place in the teams event.

The second youngest of seven children, Sully saved for his first bike which he bought after finishing school at 14. In 1948 he joined Carnegie Amateur Cycling Club and within two years was winning junior road races representing Victoria. Despite winning State Test races for selection for the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games, he was would not make his Australia debut due to National Service obligations.

After competing at the Vancouver 1954 Empire Games, and 1956 Olympics, between 1957 and 1959 he competed in races in Russia, Scotland, Paris, Denmark, Belgium and England. In 1960 he turned professional. He had an incredibly successful career spanning 1948 – 1963, including winning multiple Australian and Victorian titles. In later years he encouraged his family to participate in cycling and every weekend was either competing or organising events.

He was inducted into the Victorian Cycling Hall of Fame in 2009 and was a Life Member of the Carnegie club.