Motivational SpeakersHelen Glover OBE is a double Olympic gold medallist, champion rower, and motivational speaker who shares inspiring insights on resilience and teamwork.
Alongside rowing partner Heather Stanning, Helen Glover made British sporting history at the London 2012 Olympics, securing Team GB’s first gold medal of the Games and becoming one of the first British women to win Olympic gold in rowing.
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Helen Glover also made history as the first mum to represent Great Britain in Olympic rowing.
The early years…
Born in Truro, Helen showed sporting promise early on, competing internationally as a junior in cross-country and training in the England Hockey Satellite Squad. After completing a degree in Sport and Exercise Science along with a PGCE, Helen began teaching PE at a primary school in Bath.
Helen didn’t step into a rowing boat until after the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Inspired by the Olympics, Helen was determined to be part of the world’s greatest sporting event and was talent-spotted through the Sporting Giants scheme.
After joining the GB Rowing Team’s Start programme, she quickly progressed, won the senior single scull at Women’s Henley in 2008, and came 3rd in the Eight at the 2009 Head of the River Regatta.
In 2010, Glover secured Lottery funding, which let her leave her job as a teacher to train full time.
She partnered with Heather Stanning in the Women’s pairs, and later that year they announced themselves on the world stage at the World Championships in New Zealand, delivering an astonishing performance to win a Silver medal behind the reigning World Champions.
This achievement made Helen the first athlete on the Sporting Giants scheme to win a medal at a senior World Championships.
She continued to impress as 2011 saw the pair become British Champions, claim Gold in both the Munich and Lucerne World Cups and secure another Silver medal at the 2011 World Championships in Slovenia.
London 2012:
Leading up to London 2012, expectations rose as Helen approached the Games with an unbeaten record after winning all three World Cup regattas.
The pair were flawless in their pursuit of gold, pulling clear of the field from the start and maintaining the lead to the line to win Team GB’s first Gold of the London Games and a historic first-ever Olympic Gold medal for British women’s rowing, cementing a truly remarkable few years for Helen Glover, who just 4 years earlier had never rowed in her life.
Her incredible year concluded with her being named on the New Year’s Honours list to become an MBE.
In 2016, Helen and partner Heather Stanning won gold in the Olympic final in Rio.
Helen lives near Maidenhead with her husband, wildlife TV presenter Steve Backshall, and their three children.
In 2021, Helen made a rowing comeback and competed at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Helen Glover – Motivational Speaker:
Helen Glover OBE is an inspirational motivational speaker who draws on her extraordinary journey as a double Olympic gold medallist to share powerful lessons in resilience, determination and achieving success against the odds.
From the relentless demands of elite sport to balancing motherhood with a return to Olympic competition, Helen’s keynote speeches explore the importance of teamwork, goal setting, overcoming setbacks and performing under pressure.
Engaging, authentic and inspiring, she brings a unique perspective to corporate conferences, leadership events and awards ceremonies.
