Sally Gunnell OBE

Retired International Athlete, Keynote Speaker and Wellbeing Advocate

Speaker fees:

In-person: £5k-£10k
Virtual: £3k-£5k

Topics:

Mental Health & Wellbeing
2
High Performance
2
Sustaining Excellence

Sally Gunnell OBE; the Farmers girl who captured the hearts of a nation who remains the only woman ever to hold four major track titles concurrently – Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth.

Since retiring from international athletics, Sally Gunnell developed a new career path as a keynote speaker and wellbeing advocate.

Sally’s rise to the pinnacle of her sport was hard won. She blew the chance to be World Champion in 1991, stormed back to win Olympic Gold in 1992 and defied incredible odds to become World Champion in 1993, setting a new World Record in the process. She contended with injuries, athletes that she saw as more naturally gifted and, a relatively modest support infrastructure compared to her peers. Her success, by her own admission, was down to a firm grip over her own mind and a lot of very hard graft.

“Raw talent is no substitute for single mindedness and hard graft”

Sally remains a towering figure in British athletics. She has more than 15 years’ experience in addressing a wide variety of corporate audiences. She has covered global conferences of thousands and senior leadership teams of just 6. Her natural, easy-going style belies her relentless focus on achieving and sustaining excellence.

Sally effortlessly weaves the secrets of sporting achievement with the valuable components that underpin success in business. Her key themes hold resonance for senior decision-makers and junior staff alike. No corporate speaks, no clever-sounding management models. Just tried-and-tested solutions and techniques that took a farmer’s daughter from the hay bales of Essex to the winner’s podium at the Barcelona Olympics.

Sally’s honest, down-to-earth approach has won her many admirers over the years. She has written four books and her latest gets right under the skin of what makes a successful, fulfilled person. For the first time, she brings together in one place all the themes that have brought success in her sporting, business and family lives. ’10 hurdles for life ‘is for anyone who knows they have something to accomplish in life and is focused on enabling it to happen. The only limit is our imagination, understand this and the game of life becomes more fun and less hard work.

Book Sally Gunnell OBE

Featured topics include

Winning once is a milestone. Sustaining success is a mindset. This keynote explores what it really takes to maintain high performance over time and how to balance ambition with wellbeing. Sally shares lessons on leadership, legacy, and staying energised without burning out. Ideal for organisations focused on long-term growth and impact.
Key Takeaways:
•     Maintaining personal energy and team motivation over time
•     Avoiding burnout while driving results and leading others
•     Leading through change with clarity and calm
•     Creating lasting personal and professional impact
Explore what it takes to perform at your best when it matters most. In this powerful keynote, Sally shares the mindset, discipline, and resilience that took her from Olympic hopeful to world champion and how those same principles apply to business and leadership. This session is packed with inspiration and practical strategies for individuals and teams striving to reach their full potential.
Key Takeaways:
•     Performing under pressure – as an individual and as a team
•     Setting clear goals and staying motivated through setbacks
•     Developing personal resilience and mental strength
•     Building a winning team mindset and collaborative culture
True performance is built on a foundation of wellbeing. In this insightful and empowering session, Sally reveals how physical and mental health drive sustained success and how to embed wellbeing into both personal habits and workplace culture. Perfect for teams and leaders looking to build resilience, reduce stress, and thrive in today’s fast-paced world.
Key Takeaways:
•     Understanding wellbeing as a key driver of performance
•     Practical strategies to manage stress and build mental strength
•     Fostering a healthy, supportive workplace culture
•     Enhancing team resilience through shared wellbeing values

What people say

I just wanted to say how good it was to meet Sally on Wednesday at the Virgin Media conference. I have had so many people come up and say what an inspirational talk she gave and how much each person took away from it. I’ve also had at least a dozen people say they nearly burst into tears when they played the Olympic video! You can add another 211 happy customers to your total.

Executive Director Mobile and Home Phones, Virgin Media

Sally is one of the most inspirational and motivating speakers we’ve ever had join us on our TechWomen programme, one of BT’s key diversity programmes. Throughout the past 12 months, Sally has joined us numerous times on our programme and our TechWomen always love her stories. More recently, Sally created a bespoke session for us around mental fitness which went down a storm. Sally always gets on board with your goals and objectives to make sure your attendees get the most out of their time with her and is an absolute joy to work with!

BT – Rachel Brackenbury, Talent Programme Manager

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