Kelly Sotherton

Kelly Sotherton, a triple Olympic medallist in athletics, has transitioned from elite competition to advocacy and leadership in sports, bringing her extensive experience in heptathlon and relay events to various professional roles and speaking engagements. After securing an unexpected bronze medal in the heptathlon at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics, Kelly Sotherton went on to establish herself as a dominant force in multi-event athletics. Sotherton joined Birchfield Harriers athletics club in 1998 and made her senior British team debut in 2002. She broke the 6,000-point barrier in the heptathlon in 2003 and was recognized as the British number one heptathlete in 2004.

Her commitment to athlete welfare led her to found the British Athletics Athletes Commission. In 2020, Sotherton was appointed Team England’s Athletics Team Leader for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Recognizing her significant contributions to track and field and her efforts in promoting women’s sports, she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours. In a pivotal leadership development, Kelly Sotherton was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the British Elite Athletes Association (BEAA) in December 2024.

In this significant role, she continues to champion the rights and welfare of elite athletes across the UK, drawing on her distinguished career and deep understanding of high-performance sport to influence policy and foster a supportive environment for athletic excellence.