| Ellen Hunter | |
| Fullname: | Ellen Hunter |
| Birth Date: | 12 February 1968 |
| Birth Place: | Wrexham, Wales |
| Discipline: | Tandem |
| Role: | Pilot for visually impaired |
| Ridertype: | Sprint |
| Amateurteam1: | Yasumitsu-Schlapp |
Ellen Hunter (born 12 February 1968, Wrexham[1]) is a Welsh competitive cyclist and tandem pilot for Aileen McGlynn at Paralympic events.[2] [3]
Hunter and McGlynn broke the flying 200m women's tandem World record in April 2004.
Hunter met her husband Paul through cycling, and both were selected to ride as pilots for visually impaired cyclists at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, as part of the British Cycling team.
At the 2004 Athens Paralympics, McGlynn and Hunter won gold in the women's time trial B-13 and silver in the Individual sprint.[4]
At the 2006 IPC Track Cycling World Championships in Aigle, Switzerland, Ellen Hunter piloted Aileen McGlynn to win gold in the Tamdem Kilo (VI), setting a world record of 1:10.795 in the process and winning a Rainbow Jersey for Wales, they ranked 17th among 33 male competitors.
She broke her back in a cycling accident at the Women's Omnium at Herne Hill Velodrome, and was told she may never cycle again, she spent six weeks in hospital.
Hunter and McGlynn, coached by Barney Storey,[5] once again broke the World Record at the 2008 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Manchester, in a time of 1:10.381, but despite this, failed to gain a podium position.
The pair represented Great Britain at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, 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).
Hunter lives with her husband and two children in Penryn, Cornwall.[6]
Hunter was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours for services to disabled sport.