Aileen McGlynn

Aileen McGlynn OBE (born 22 June 1973)[1] is a Scottish paralympic tandem cyclist, tandem piloted until 2009 by Ellen Hunter[2] piloted by Helen Scott until 2012 and currently piloted by Louise Haston.

Aileen McGlynn
McGlynn at the Olympic Victory Parade
Personal information
Full nameAileen McGlynn
Born (1973-06-22) 22 June 1973
Paisley, Scotland, United Kingdom
Team information
DisciplineTandem
RoleStoker
Rider typeSprint
Amateur teams
1991–?Glenmarnock Wheelers
?Johnstone Wheelers
?–2004Royal Albert Cycling Club
2014 -Team Glow
Professional teams
2013Team Scotland
2004–2013Great Britain Paracycling Team

Biography

Born in Paisley and grew up in Glasgow,[1] McGlynn was partially sighted at birth, she joined the Glenmarnock Wheelers cycling club at the age of 18 but was initially reluctant to tell her club mates about her disability. However, when the club worked it out they were very supportive. She is also a patron of an organisation called 'Crank It Up' who aim to provide cycling for people of all abilities.[1]

Before McGlynn became a full-time athlete, she was a trainee actuary with a degree in mathematics, statistics and management science[3] from the University of Strathclyde.

McGlynn and Hunter broke the flying 200m women's tandem World record in April 2004.[2]

At the 2006 IPC Track Cycling World Championships in Aigle, Switzerland, the pair won gold in the Tamdem Kilo (VI), setting a world record of 1:10.795 in the process and winning a Rainbow Jersey, they ranked 17th among 33 male competitors.[2]

McGlynn and Hunter, coached by Barney Storey,[4] once again broke the World Record at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Manchester, in a time of 1:10.381, but despite this, failed to gain a podium position.[5]

The pair represented Great Britain at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, winning gold in the Kilo (B&VI 1–3), setting a new world record time of 1:09.066 in the process, and in the individual pursuit (B&VI 1–3).

Already a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), McGlynn was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours.[6] She was also named Alumna of the Year by the University of Strathclyde in 2009.[7] She was voted runner-up in the Evening Times Sportswoman Woman of the Year in 2008.[8]

McGlynn took her first silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, riding alongside Louise Haston in the Sprint. The pair were defeated in the final by the English duo of Scott and Sophie Thornhill.[9]

McGlynn took her second silver medal for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, in the Kilo. Aileen and Louise were the 1st tandem to go sub 1:10, recording a time of 1:09.771. Gold went to England's Thornhill & Scott.[10]

Palmarès
2004
1st Women's Tandem Kilo (B 1–3), 2004 Summer Paralympics
2nd Women's Tandem Sprint (B 1–3), 2004 Summer Paralympics
2nd Disability Omnium, British National Track Championships
2005
1st Tandem Kilo, VISA Paralympic World Cup
1st Tandem Sprint, VISA Paralympic World Cup
1st Tandem Kilo, European Championships
1st Tandem Kilo, European Open Championships
1st Disability Omnium, British National Track Championships
2006
1st Tandem sprint, VISA Paralympic World Cup (B/VI female)[2]
2007
1st Tandem sprint, VISA Paralympic World Cup (B/VI female)[11]
2008
1st Kilo (B&VI 1–3), 2008 Summer Paralympics[12]
1st Individual pursuit (B&VI 1–3), 2008 Summer Paralympics

References
  1. "Patrons – Aileen McGlynn MBE". Crank It Up: Cycling for All. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008.
  2. "Athlete: Ellen Hunter". Disability Sport Wales. 2007. Archived from the original on 3 July 2008.
  3. "Aileen McGlynn MBE". Scottish Institute of Sport. Archived from the original on 31 March 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
  4. "Medals galore for GB cyclists at Visa Paralympic World Cup". Paralympics GB. May 2007. Archived from the original on 9 June 2011.
  5. "Storey claims record-breaking win". BBC Sport. 27 March 2008.
  6. "No. 58929". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2008. p. 11.
  7. "University of Strathclyde Alumnus of the Year". University of Strathclyde. 2009. Archived from the original on 23 September 2006.
  8. "Our winner up for prestigious award". Evening Times. 27 February 2008. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  9. "Glasgow 2014: England's Thornhill & Scott win tandem gold". bbc.co.uk. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  10. "2014 Commonwealth Games Glasgow, Scotland England win's women's tandem kilo". trackcyclingnews.com. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  11. "Great Britain's Aileen McGlynn and Ellen Hunter win the tandem sprint final, B/VI female – Photo". Yahoo! Eurosport. 11 May 2007.
  12. "British cyclists win three golds", BBC, 7 September 2008
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