When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful
Personal Details
- Nickname:
Kell
- Home town:
Lilydale
- Occupation / Area of Study / Work:
Athlete
- Hero / Most Admired Athlete:
Haydn Bradbury
- Date of birth:
22 May 1998
Sporting Details
- Event(s) / Discipline:
Team Pursuit / Madison / Omnium
- Olympic / Paralympic History:
2020, Tokyo Olympics
- Sporting Highlights:
Growing up in Kew Victoria, Kelland O’Brien would accompany his dad to the BMX track where he was introduced to the different cycling disciplines. O’Brien started in BMX, switched to mountain bike and also ventured onto the road before ending up at the track.
O’Brien’s green and gold journey began in 2015 when he represented Australia at the 2015 Junior World Championships. His performances netted him a Madison gold and Team Pursuit bronze.
In 2017, he graduated to the elite ranks and claimed dual Oceania crowns as well as maiden World Championships gold in the Individual Pursuit. There he also won bronze in the Individual Pursuit in a personal best time.
In 2018, O’Brien netted dual Nationals and dual Oceania crowns, plus World Cup gold. The season highlight came at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games when he won team pursuit gold with Sam Welsford, Leigh Howard and Alex Porter. The quartet became the first in history to break the three-minute (3:49.804) fifty-second barrier.
As well as defending their world title in 2019, O’Brien and the team also broke the world record.
With six national track titles to his name, O'Brien broke through and won his maiden road national crown in 2020, winning the Under 23 Criterium Championships.
O’Brien was notably absent from the 2020 Track World Championships after he experienced a crash during stage four of his first Tour Down Under. He required surgery to repair a broken collarbone but is fighting fit and ready for his first Olympic campaign.
- Australian Olympic Team
