Richard Whitehead MBE
Life hasn’t always been easy for Richard Whitehead. Born with only the top half of his legs, he had to overcome obstacles from an early age that many of us can’t even dream of facing. But Richard isn’t your average amputee, he’s a Paralympic and world champion athlete. And, he’s also become one of the most inspirational diversity keynote speakers on the circuit, bringing the life experiences that have shaped him to events up and down the country.
Running with prosthetic legs, he’s set world records for double-amputee athletes at both half and full marathons, and was successful in shorter distances, too. In fact, he’s claimed four World Championship gold medals in the 200m. However, Richard really shot to fame following his exploits at the Paralympics. At the London Paralympics in 2012, he won gold in the 200m T42 event and followed it up in 2016 by successfully defending his title in Rio. As well as this, he also has two Paralympic silver medals in his collection and three European Championship titles. At his after-dinner speaking events, Richard’s down to earth and likeable personality means he has the ability to captivate audiences with his fascinating anecdotes from a career in elite sport.
Unlike T43 athletes, where the amputee has occurred below the knee, T42 runners such as Richard require far more core strength. This is because their running power has to be generated from areas such as the hips, glutes, quads and back. In order to prepare the body for this level of intensity, Richard has a rigorous and relentless training schedule to ensure he’s in the peak condition to race. Sticking to this kind of regime requires huge mental strength, willpower and dedication – all traits he can instil on audiences at his speaking events.
Richard understands that his experiences with disability transcend sport, which is why he works as an ambassador or patron for a whole host of disability charities. In these roles, he uses his own experiences to demonstrate to children and young people suffering from similar conditions that you can still live fulfilled, rewarding lives despite being disabled – a message he can also convey in his capacity as a speaker.
Looking to hire one of the industry’s best diversity keynote speakers? Richard Whitehead is the speaker for you. Contact Evolve today for booking information.
Topics and Themes
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Motivational
- Paralympics
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Richard's Latest Case Studies
Richard Whitehead MBE & Blueprint Operations
In April, Evolve paired double Paralympic champion, Richard Whitehead, with Blueprint Operations for their Annual Staff Conference.
Richard Whitehead MBE & Confederation of Paper Industries
In May, Evolve booked double Paralympic Champion, Richard Whitehead MBE, with the Confederation of Paper Industries for the Paper Industry Gold Awards.
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