Olympic Speakers Breakfast – Part 1

This breakfast was the first of two special Olympic-based events, designed to showcase motivational speakers for conference audiences in the run-up to London 2012. What can we learn from the Olympians?

Kelly Holmes is only the second woman in history to claim the 800m and 1500m titles at the same Games. The BBC Sports Personality of the Year and Ambassador for London 2012 persevered for over a decade and overcame injury and illness before achieving her ultimate goal. Kelly outlined the passion, compassion and courage needed to succeed.

At the age of 21 Karen Darke fell from a cliff and became paralysed from the neck down. Determined not to let her condition get the better of her, she set off for the Himalayas and Alaska; next year she represents Team GB in para-cycling. Karen demonstrated how we can achieve all manner of things we considered impossible.

Greg Whyte represented Great Britain in the Modern Pentathlon (comprising swimming, shooting, fencing, running and equestrian disciplines) at two Olympics and ten World Championships. He is now a highly prized coach, and the man behind David Walliams’ long-distance swimming and Eddie Izzard’s 43 marathons in 51 days.

Steve Backley was the first British athlete to ‘medal’ at three consecutive Olympic Games. The four-time European Javelin Champion and winner of three Commonwealth Golds has a background in sports psychology and discussed the three main attributes which are required for success: self-belief, application and motivation.