From the spreading awareness to cycling for Great Britain – Joanna Rowsell is the perfect motivator for your event.

As far as motivational speakers go, Joanna Rowsell must surely be one of the best on the books at MN2S, or in fact any other entertainment agencies. As an Olympic cyclist, she has achieved more than most and in the face of overwhelming odds on occasion. That alone would be enough to make her a fantastic motivational speaker, with much to talk about regarding her path to success and the sacrifices that allowed her to achieve her status. As well as being an Olympic gold medal winner, she’s also fought a personal battle with alopecia, a condition which has in the past caused her serious self esteem issues.

Cycling Career

The 28 year old from Cheam, near Sutton, first found herself in the world of cycling after British Cycling’s Talent Team programme found her while she was still at school. Even as a junior cyclist she was soon winning medals, and signed for a professional team – Global Racing – at the age of just 18.

It was 2012 that saw Rowsell at the very top of her game; in the year of the home Olympic games, she won both the team pursuit and individual pursuit events at the Track Cycling World Cup. In the London 2012 Olympic Games Rowsell managed to set her fifth new world record of the year along with teammates in the team pursuit event, and naturally took home her first Olympic gold medal.

In 2013 she faced one of the biggest setbacks of her career when she broke her collarbone at the London Cycling Festival, an injury which could have seen the rest of her year, or even her career, ruined. Never one to allow a little setback to get in her way, Joanna was back on her bike a mere five weeks later at the International Belgian Open in Ghent. That alone would be cause for celebration, but the plucky Brit also managed to win the women’s pursuit event in spite of her injury, and went on to take home a second Olympic gold medal in Rio in 2016.

Alopecia Awareness

Rowsell retired from racing earlier this year, but has not retired from her other interest – campaigning around Alopecia awareness. She has suffered from the condition, in which the immune system attacks hair follicles to cause hair loss and baldness, since being a child. Although she has said that she doesn’t want to be defined by her alopecia, she also said: “I’ve realised now that I’ve got a responsibility as such. It’s always going to be a part of me, so I may as well embrace it and hopefully inspire other girls.”

She said that cycling has always been a respite from her self-consciousness about the condition: When I was younger I used to focus really hard on my school work.

“I didn’t have much confidence in my appearance and I became very, very focused on my studies. When cycling came along that was another thing for me to focus on and suddenly it didn’t matter what I looked like, it was about how I performed on the bike and that’s what I was judged on. That was great.

“When I started winning that was the best feeling ever. I wasn’t going to stop; I wasn’t going to let it hold me back.”

Book motivational speaker Joanna Rowsell

Joanna’s inspiring story makes her a great motivational after dinner speaker; she’s a confident and interesting young woman who is sure to engage any audience. To find out more about booking her, get in touch with us today.

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