Olympic Speakers Breakfast – Part 1

Steve Backley

Steve won medals in three consecutive Olympics and set three world javelin records. He was in the top ten for a decade, ranked No1 for three years. Steve shows how to plan for success, believe in yourself, enjoy rivalry and stay passionate about what you’re doing. He also demonstrates the cost of complacency and what happens when you rest on your laurels: “If you want to continue to be the best in the world, you must behave and compete as if you’re only the second best.”

Dame Kelly Holmes

Colonel Dame Kelly Holmes is a British icon and inspiration. After joining the army at seventeen, she cemented her place in history as the first women ever in Great Britain to win two gold medals at the same games at the Athens Olympics.

Karen Darke

Karen has kayaked through Alaska’s Inner Passage and cycled from Tibet to Nepal, in spite of paralysis from the chest down. After claiming silver in London she squeezed in (and filmed) an Iron Man contest as part of her build up to Rio, and then took gold in the Paralympics (despite losing a year’s training after being hit by a car). Karen shows how we can best understand ourselves and others by attempting challenges. The emotions they untap aren’t signs of weakness, they help us heal: “Listening to yourself and dealing with fear makes you stronger.”

Professor Greg Whyte

Greg was a pentathlete before becoming Research Director at BOA, helping prepare Team GB for five Olympics. He’s also trained David Walliams to swim the Thames and Izzard to run 43 marathons. He continues to help celebrities with charity challenges as well as elite athletes in professional competition. In speeches Greg demonstrates that success is not a question of chance – witness the four remarkable women he trained to cross the English Channel.