With the sporting industry being incredibly competitive, it is crucial that Olympians are motivated and inspired to become the best of the best. Here at the Champions Olympic Speakers Agency, we work alongside a wide range of talented sportspeople, specialising in topics from performing under pressure, to overcoming adversity. Admired by audiences throughout industries of all kinds, our selection of the World’s Best Olympic Speakers to Motivate your Audience at Events in 2025 are sure to push your teams to achieve peak performance and develop a winning workplace culture to remain ahead of the competition.
Derek Redmond is highly respected as a professional athlete turned high-performance motivational coach. With experience competing at the Olympic Games, European, and World Championships, his mental and physical resilience is admired by audiences globally. Since securing numerous victories throughout the sporting industry, including becoming World Champion in the 4x400m and claiming Gold at the Tokyo World Championships, Derek has utilised his driven mindset to become the Director of Thomas International, the world’s largest psychometric assessment company. Having been included in Barack Obama’s inaugural State of the Union speech for overcoming adversity and resilience, Derek is now a highly sought-after Olympic speaker to empower audiences to achieve optimal performance and thrive to overcome challenges.
Testimonial:
”Derek Redmond bravely making it through with little help, moments of euphoria after years of hard work. Moments when the human spirit triumphs over injury that should have been impossible to overcome.” – President Barack Obama
Col. Dame Kelly Holmes is admired for developing an incredibly successful athletics career. As one of Britain’s most inspirational athletes, she is best known for claiming a Gold medal in the 800m and the 1500m at the Athens 2004 Olympics. With her two aims in life being to serve in the army and to secure an Olympic Gold medal, Kelly managed to complete both through hard work and determination. Having enjoyed a career full of remarkable highs and lows, she is now a proud champion for young people and aspiring sporting talent, inspiring and supporting them to achieve their goals throughout the competitive industry. Esteemed for speaking about her successful sporting career and her journey of coming out as gay in 2022, Kelly has become one of the most highly sought-after Olympic Speakers in the circuit.
Testimonial:
”Kelly was fantastic. We enjoyed having her on stage and the audience were clearly engaged – she covered a wide variety of topics in a relatable way. I have heard nothing but positive feedbcl from attendees. The Crowd were particularly interested in her charitable endevours. She was both humble and inspiring.” - Indeed
Mark Foster is recognised amongst the most successful British swimmers of all time. Having become the fastest swimmer in the country at only 15 years old, Mark took the industry by storm for many years and became a specialist in short-course swimming, most notably the butterfly and freestyle over 50 metres. With experience appearing at five Olympic Games and five Commonwealth Games, he gained a deep understanding of what hard work means to him and how mindset can affect your overall performance, which he now shares with audiences at keynote events. Now retired, Mark has devoted his career to fulfilling media commitments, such as Strictly Come Dancing, and specialising as an Olympic after-dinner speaker. Also a proud member of the LGBT community, his presentations can be tailored to the audience in front of him, allowing him to become a popular speaker for events of all kinds.
Testimonial:
”Mark was absolutely fantastic at every stage of the process. The audience really connected with him, and he made everyone feel at ease. I would love to get him back for future events! Thanks so much for all your help at Champions as well, the event was a complete success thanks to you and the team.” – Dan, New Product Planning Lead, Takeda
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson is treasured for becoming one of the greatest Paralympians to have ever represented Great Britain. Having found her love for wheelchair racing as a teenager, she has overcome adversity in all areas of her life but has never let this stop her from achieving greatness. With a total of 16 Paralympic medals and 30 track world records to her name, her determination and resilience have transformed the sporting industry into what we know it today. In recognition of her remarkable career, Tanni was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2019 BBC Sports Personality Awards 2019 and has since become a proud Board Member of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. An inspiration to audiences globally, Tanni is now highly sought-after to attend speaking engagements as a motivational speaker.
Testimonial:
”Tanni gave a real insight into what it takes to be a top athlete and to remain there for 16 years – an inspiration to all present.” – Guinness
Colin Jackson CBE is a world-renowned former athlete, best known for securing an Olympic Silver medal and winning two World Championships. Considered one of the world’s most successful hurdlers of all time, he secured a total of 21 medals at events such as the Olympic Games, World Championships, European Championships, and Commonwealth Games before retiring from professional sport in 2003. A leading authority in his field, Colin has focused his career on commentating and coaching over recent years. Having been featured on Who Do You Think You Are?, Celebrity MasterChef, and Strictly Come Dancing, his hard-working mentality and positive character are respected by audiences globally. When looking to book an Olympic speaker who specialises in the topics of Peak performance, dealing with pressure, and maximising success, look no further than Colin today.
Testimonial:
”Colin Jackson was the perfect addition to our business event. He was extremely engaging, lovely to talk to and interacted with all our delegates following his keynote. Would highly recommend him as a speaker for any event.” – Helen, Event Manager, Events Northern
Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill is an Olympic heptathlon champion, best known for becoming the face of the London 2012 Olympic Games. With a plethora of victories to her name, Jessica is greatly admired for promoting athletics and a healthy lifestyle to the next generation of sports professionals. Having most recently competed at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, her undeniable commitment to the sporting community is esteemed by audiences globally. In 2017, she was appointed DBE in the New Year Honours for her services to athletics and later won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award. An inspiring female figure, Jessica gained the opportunity to star in the BBC programme ‘Jessica Ennis-Hill and the Next Generation’, and has since taken the speaking circuit by storm, sharing her remarkable career journey and unique insights on important topics such as setting and achieving goals, overcoming adversity, and dealing with pressure.
Testimonial:
"She was fabulous, we had a completely full auditorium and what a great presentation, it was lovely for the audience to get a sense of her story!" - BIBA c/o The Campaign Partnership Ltd
Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee are a world-renowned sporting duo who have secured numerous Olympic and World titles between them. Since Alistair made his debut appearance at the Olympic Games in 2008, the brothers have taken the industry by storm, not only through their professional appearances but also as motivational after-dinner speakers. Competing and supporting each other at multiple large-scale events, The Brownlee Brothers have a wide range of entertaining stories to tell from events such as the London 2012 Games where they competed against each other. In recognition of their sporting talent, both brothers have been the recipients of MBEs, with Alistair’s coming in 2013 and Jonathan’s following in 2022. Together the Brownlee Brothers are incredibly entertaining Olympic speakers and are now in high demand to attend events internationally.
Testimonial:
”The kids have been totally inspired by what they’ve heard today. Jonny made them realise that if they train hard, they too can one day do what he has done” – The Telegraph
Nicola Adams is a well-regarded professional sportswoman, best known for making history at the 2012 London Olympics by becoming the first female to win an Olympic boxing medal after winning Gold in the Flyweight category. Driven to be the best in her field, she has become one of the leading female boxers in the world, but her work outside the ring is what makes her a truly successful figure within the sporting world. Admired by audiences across the UK, Nicola, who is a proud part of the LGBT+ community, was named No. 1 on the Pink List for becoming an inspirational athlete, role model, and idol to many young women around the world. Keen to diversify her career, she gained the opportunity to perform in a same-sex couple on Strictly Come Dancing in 2020. In recognition of her inspirational career, Nicola was appointed an MBE for her services to boxing and was later the recipient of an MBE. Whether hired as a special guest, awards presenter, or after-dinner speaker, Nicola is the ideal Olympic speaker to attend your next event.
Testimonial:
”Fantastic! Nicola was open, honest and inspiring. It went amazingly well, and we can’t wait to have her back.” – Macquarie Group Services>”Fantastic! Nicola was open, honest and inspiring. It went amazingly well, and we can’t wait to have her back.” – Macquarie Group Services
David Weir is an extremely talented Paralympic athlete, best known for holding British records in track distances up to 5,000m, 10km on the road, half marathon, and marathon. Throughout his illustrious career, he has achieved 6 Paralympic Gold medals, including four at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Admired for proving that disability is no barrier to success, David has taken the sporting industry by storm over recent years and has advanced his career by creating the Weir Archer Academy, an organisation which promotes disability sports, as well as mentoring the next generation of Paralympians. A leading authority in his field, David was awarded CBE at the 2013 New Year Honours for his services to athletics and has since decided to share his vast industry knowledge and experience with audiences at a wide range of speaking engagements. When looking to hire an empowering Olympic speaker who specialises in the topics of resilience and a hard-working mentality, look no further than David today.
Testimonial:
David was a delight to listen to and socialise with. His story is an inspiration and the way that he tells it is inspirational. David had time for everyone, was engaging and happy to sign autographs and be photographed with delegates from the moment he arrived to the moment he left. He is a brilliant talent and a wonderful man.” – Mick, Parker Communications
Kate Richardson-Walsh is a treasured English Hockey gold medallist. Currently the team Captain for Great Britain and England, she has developed a remarkable career throughout the sporting industry and has gained the opportunity to appear at numerous large-scale events since making her professional debut in 1999. As an active sportswoman, Kate has won the Hockey Writers Club UK Player of the Year twice, and in 2003, she was shortlisted for the World Player of the Year Award. Most recently, Kate, alongside her fellow teammates in the British women’s hockey team, won Gold at the 2016 Olympics, allowing her to be named the most capped female in Great Britain. An inspirational female figure to audiences globally, Kate has become a highly sought-after speaker to share how her positive attitude allowed her to be successful in what she lives doing best; hockey.
Testimonial:
Kate gave a fascinating, insightful interview on leadership, team dynamics, and the culture of a winning team, all in a way that was relevant to our senior corporate audience, and which perfectly strengthened the core theme of our event: how to achieve gender balance and redefine leadership.” – FT Women at the Top Summit
To hire one of the motivational Olympic speakers featured in this blog, or to enquire about any of the talented speakers on our roster, do not hesitate to contact Champions Olympic Speakers via our online contact form or by calling one of our dedicated booking agents on 0207 1010 553.
Jack Hayes was appointed Director of the Champions Olympic Speakers agency in 2012 becoming one of the youngest Directors in the UK. A year later, Jack became a founding member of the European Association of Speakers Bureaux (EASB) collaborating with speaker agencies to create a code of ethics and regulations for the industry.
Balancing his time between attracting the world's top speaking talent and leading collaborations with global brands, Jack has nurtured relationships with media publications, blue-chip companies, institutions and governments. Having signed some of the most sought-after speakers on the international stage, Jack has overseen countless projects with the likes of HSBC, LadBible, the NHS, The Economic Times' Business Summit, ITV and British Airways.
Despite having already booked in the services of speakers such as the world's greatest living explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the inspiration behind James Bond character "Q" and former Director-General of MI5, Dame Stella Rimington, rugby World Cup-winning manager Sir Clive Woodward and many more, there was one moment that stood out for Jack, which was booking the man who put the "i" in iPhone, Ken Segall, who appeared at our very own Champions networking breakfast.
Jack has led Champions Speakers to unprecedented growth. Having taken the bureau into the digital age he has cultivated a brand-wide commitment to innovation, all the while staying true to the family values upon which Champions has been built; trust, transparency and care. Outside of work, Jack can be found still working! And occasionally attempting to breakdance.
To discuss the details of your event or book one of our exciting Olympic and Paralympic speakers, call a booking agent at Champions Olympic Speakers on 0207 1010 553 or complete our online contact form.
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