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Keynote SpeakerHelen Richardson-Walsh

Olympic Gold Medalist, Former Great Britain and England Hockey Player

Topics

Popular Talks

Winning Together: How to ‘win’ as people and teams.
The Inner Game: Mental Tools from Elite Sport.
Belonging Drives Performance: The Power of Inclusion in High-Pressure Environments
Strong Enough to Struggle: Resilience and Well-being in High-Pressure Environments

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Biography

Helen Richardson-Walsh is a former Great Britain and England hockey player, Olympic gold medallist, author, and trainee sport psychologist. She began her international hockey career in 1999 at just 17 years old, making history the following year in Sydney as the youngest woman to represent GB hockey at an Olympic Games. Over an impressive 18-year career, Helen competed in four Olympic Games, earning 293 caps and 19 medals, including Olympic bronze in London 2012, European gold in 2015, and ultimately, an Olympic gold medal in Rio 2016. Helen played a pivotal role in Rio, being one of only two players to score during a nail-biting penalty shootout in the final and earning recognition as one of the best in the world.

As a member of the senior leadership team for 11 years, Helen was instrumental in transforming the team from inconsistent performers to consistent medal contenders on the world stage. She attributes this success to the strong team culture that was built, which sparked her passion for understanding how the right environments can help people and teams flourish. This interest led her to pursue studies in Psychology, and with two Master’s degrees in Organisational and Sport Psychology, she now applies her experience and knowledge to help other teams and individuals thrive.

Helen, together with her wife Kate, made history as the first same sex married couple to win Olympic gold on the same team. In their book, Winning Together, they share powerful lessons from their journey with the Great Britain hockey team and offer tools to help others become their best selves and build better teams. Today, Helen works as a trainee sport psychologist within Olympic and professional teams and is a sought-after keynote speaker, focusing on topics she is passionate about, including culture, leadership, team dynamics, personal growth, mental health, diversity, and equality.

"It was a real privilege to be in the audience for Kate and Helen's presentation. Their passion for sharing guidance on how to promote a united culture and to develop world-beating teams was palpable and infectious. The honest and open way they engaged with everyone in the auditorium, sharing both their strengths and their weaknesses, made their messages so much more powerful. It was an evening that will live long in the memory of everyone there."

"Helen is an inspiring speaker and shares her leadership story with integrity and humour. She is intelligent and engages the audience with her honest insights into resilience and how she returned to the team following a period of serious injury. Helen's reflections of her leadership role, working with the team to set the right behaviour is extremely inspiring and motivating."

“Helen was fantastic, she was engaged with the event MC, the staff, family and children on site for the entire duration of her time with us. It was a real pleasure to meet her”

“I have asked Helen to speak on a number of occasions about her experiences as an elite athlete. Each time she has tailored her speech to suit the audience, which has included children, parents, volunteers & PE students. She has the ability to engage her listeners instantly; she is always interesting and has a very good sense of humour. She has also been truly inspiring- such a good positive role model for young people. I have no hesitation in recommending her as a speaker to any group in the future.”

“Helen was FANTASTIC! We're really happy with how the day went, and over the moon with Helen's involvement.”

“Some people have tough periods in their life. The same with Helen. Some of the injuries, the back surgery — there is a real story here. When you dig and scratch the surface of some of these athletes, what they’ve been through and come out the other side of.. They deserve everything they’ve got.”

Popular Talks by Helen Richardson-Walsh

Winning Together: How to ‘win’ as people and teams.
The power to be a consistently high performing team lies within you and all of your people. Helen shares how an empowered team driven culture with aligned vision, values and behaviours was key to the success of both individuals and the collective team. In a team where every person had...

The power to be a consistently high performing team lies within you and all of your people. Helen shares how an empowered team driven culture with aligned vision, values and behaviours was key to the success of both individuals and the collective team. In a team where every person had value, and an important role to play, culture was defined by the collective. She will explore the processes they went through to achieve this, alongside the psychological tools used to help increase awareness of self and others which are as valuable today as when Helen competed in the team. Through this work people were enabled to manage their state, perform consistently, and live their super strengths. Unlocking this power in your team can help you win together.
The Inner Game: Mental Tools from Elite Sport.
Having taken a penalty in an Olympic final to win gold, Helen knows exactly what it means to perform under extreme pressure. With compelling stories and evidence-based insights from sport psychology, Helen shares powerful mental strategies used by elite athletes and translates them into practical tools to help individuals and...

Having taken a penalty in an Olympic final to win gold, Helen knows exactly what it means to perform under extreme pressure. With compelling stories and evidence-based insights from sport psychology, Helen shares powerful mental strategies used by elite athletes and translates them into practical tools to help individuals and teams stay composed, adapt to challenges, and deliver when it matters most. This is a talk for anyone looking to raise their game, unlock potential, and build sustainable high performance under pressure.
Belonging Drives Performance: The Power of Inclusion in High-Pressure Environments
As one half of the first same-sex married couple to win Olympic gold, Helen shares her lived experience of inclusion at the highest level of sport. Speaking with authenticity, she explores how psychological safety and belonging unlock individual potential and team cohesion. By being able to bring her whole self...

As one half of the first same-sex married couple to win Olympic gold, Helen shares her lived experience of inclusion at the highest level of sport. Speaking with authenticity, she explores how psychological safety and belonging unlock individual potential and team cohesion. By being able to bring her whole self to the team, Helen thrived – and so did the group. Helen offers practical insight into building inclusive cultures where people feel seen, valued, and free to perform at their best. A powerful message for leaders aiming to create environments where diversity is celebrated and performance flourishes.
Strong Enough to Struggle: Resilience and Well-being in High-Pressure Environments
Helen has spoken openly about her struggles with mental health following career-threatening injuries, bringing a powerful authenticity to this keynote. Drawing on her own journey through recovery and elite performance, she explores how true resilience isn’t about just pushing through – but about acknowledging challenges, building healthy habits, and seeking...

Helen has spoken openly about her struggles with mental health following career-threatening injuries, bringing a powerful authenticity to this keynote. Drawing on her own journey through recovery and elite performance, she explores how true resilience isn’t about just pushing through – but about acknowledging challenges, building healthy habits, and seeking support. With practical tools and real-life insight, Helen helps leaders and teams understand how to protect well-being in high-pressure environments and foster cultures where people feel safe, supported, and able to perform at their best.