The versatility Sarah Cowley Ross displayed during her international athletics career has stood her in good stead for her life after sport. 

Sarah is a sought after wellness and sport advocate, and is an experienced MC and Keynote speaker. A staunch proponent of women in sport, particularly in leadership and governance roles, Sarah is an alumni of the NZOC’s Women in Sport Leadership Academy (WISLA), Chairs the New Zealand Olympic Committee athlete commission, is a community education ambassador and works within the Olympic movement in the Oceania region.

A New Zealand born Samoan, Sarah fulfilled a life long dream of becoming an Olympian in 2012 competing at the London Olympics in Heptathlon. She represented New Zealand at two Commonwealth Games in Heptathlon (2006) and High Jump (2014). After a 15 year international career, Sarah retired in 2014 following the World Athletics Continental Cup where she was a member of the Asia Pacific team.Sarah is only the third New Zealand woman to have jumped past the 1.91metre mark.

Sarah now uses her time to help inspire health, love and performance. She is the Chair of the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) Athletes’ Commission, NZOC Board member and has served as Director for University Tertiary Sport NZ. Sarah is a dedicated columnist to Locker Room and regularly contributes to other media outlets as a journalist, presenter and commentator, including her host role with TVNZ broadcast of the Tokyo Olympic Games.