Carol Cooke AM OLY

Carol Cooke AM OLY's Biography

Sports fanatic, workaholic, former undercover police officer and Multiple Sclerosis/Disability advocate, Carol Cooke AM is one of the most inspirational figures in Australian sport.

Carol was born in Canada in 1961. She worked as a Police Officer in Canada for 14 years including 4 years undercover with the drug and prostitution squads. Carol moved to Australia for love and was devastated when diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1998 only 3 years into her marriage. Told that she would never work again or compete in sport, she was advised she should put her affairs in order before she became in- capacitated. She defied the odds. By 2001 she was using a wheelchair full time. However, through regular exercise and some medical intervention, Carol not only walks but rows and cycles at an international level.

Carol was a former national level swimmer in Canada, with a goal of going to the 1980 Olympics; the opportunity vanished with the Moscow Games being boycotted. In 2006 she took up rowing, having been identify at an Australian Paralympic Talent Search day. She proved a natural on the water, with the team narrowly missing out on the Beijing 2008 Paralympics but went on to place sixth at the 2009 World Rowing Championships.

Carol switched sports to cycling with a plan to make the London 2012 Paralympic team. In 2011 she made the Australian team for the UCI Para Cycling World Championships. Carol made the impact she had desired claiming silver in both the Road Race and Time Trial. Her form flowed through to the 2012 Australian National Road Championships. Carol achieved her goal when she was named in the Australian Paralympic team for London 2012. In London years of toil paid off. Carol won a gold medal in the Mixed Time Trial T1- T2 event.

She then made the 2016 Rio Paralympics team and went on to win 2 Gold medals in the Women’s T1-T2 Road Race and Time Trial. This past year Carol made her 3^rd Paralympic Team and went on to win a Silver medal in the Time Trial, unfortunately crashing in the Road Race which left her in hospital. Using her resilience she got back into training for the 2022 World Championships.

As of 2019 she has earned the World Champion title 9 times and finished 2019 ranked #1 in the World.  In 2022 at the age of 61 she ranked 3^rd in the World.

Since being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1998, Carol has dedicated her working life to raising awareness and funds for MS. She developed and after 20 years she retired from leading the operation of the 24 Hour Mega Swim event, dedicated to raising money for MS. The project has now expanded to run in four states across 17 events and raised in excess of $11 million since 2001.

In 2014 Carol was bestowed the honour of being named a ‘Member in the General Division (AM) of the Order of Australia for her Gold medal and her Philanthropic work.

In 2015 Carol’s book ‘Cycle of Life’ was published and was a finalist for Victorian of the Year. In 2016 Carol broke through another barrier and was name ‘Victorian Cyclist of the Year’, taking the award out over even the Pro able-bodied riders. In 2017 Carol updated her book and re-named it “Finding Your Inner Gold”.   In 2020 she wrote her second book called ‘The Force Within – from Paralympian to Police Officer’.  It was released in all good book stores August 2021.

Carol lives with the philosophy that you must dare to face your fears. She has come through adversity and change with persistence and an incredible mindset. It is advice she shares through her work as an inspiring motivational speaker telling of her incredible life story.

Awards

2022 World Championships  1 Silver medal in the Time Trial – 4^th in the Road Race

2021 Tokyo Paralympics – 1 Silver Medal in the Time Trial – Para Cycling

2013/15/16/17/19 Australian Female Para Cyclist of the Year

2013/14/17/19 Dual World Champion – World Para Cycling Championships

2018 Victorian Female Para Cyclist of the Year

2017 Award of Excellence - Victorian Institute of Sport

2017 Masters Sportsperson of the Year - Vic Disability Sport and Recreation

2016 Female Sportspersons of the Year & Masters Sportsperson of the year - Vic Disability Sport and Recreation

2016 Rio Paralympics - 2 Gold Medals - Road Race and Time Trial - Para Cycling

2015 Victorian Finalist - Australian of the Year

2015 Gold and Silver-World Para Cycling Championships

2014 Order of Australia - A Member of the Order of Australia (AM)

2013/16 - Victorian Cyclist of the Year

2013 - Top Elite Athlete with a Disability - Victorian Institute of Sport

2012 Gold Medalist London Paralympics London Paralympics – Time Trial – Para Cycling

2011-17 Included in the Who’s Who of Australian Women

2011 Minister for Health Volunteer Awards – Commendation

2010 Included in the Who’s Who of Australian Women “hope & courage”

2009 John Studdy Award from MS Australia

2008 Included in the Inaugural Who’s Who in Victoria and the Who’s Who of Australian Women 2006 Victorian Masters Sportsperson of the Year

2006 Herald Sun Pride of Australia Awards Role Model Category

2003 The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International Named a Paul Harris Fellow

2001 Rotary International Shine on Award - Certificate of Commendation

Speaking Topics Include

‘The Force Within – from Paralympian to Police Officer’

THE FORCE METHODOLOGY

Be FEARLESS and believe in yourself

Be ORIGINAL, your uniqueness can create magic

REFRAME your thoughts to build RESILIENCE

Have the COURAGE to take a CHANCE on CHANGE

EMBRACE the positive in life

“Finding Your Inner Gold” – Daring to Face your Fears