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Claire Danson is an elite paratriathlete, handcyclist, and high-performance speaker whose extraordinary journey from elite triathlete to adaptive sports pioneer has inspired audiences across the UK and beyond. With a calm but powerful presence, Claire delivers talks that blend vulnerability, humour, and hard-won wisdom. Her story is not just one of resilience but of redefining success, pushing physical and mental limits, and choosing courage in the face of life-altering adversity. Audiences leave her sessions moved, motivated, and equipped with a new mindset for facing challenges in both work and life.
Claire began her sporting journey as a teenager recovering from an eating disorder, gradually discovering her talent for endurance sport. She rose quickly through the amateur triathlon ranks, winning the European Standard Distance Triathlon Age Group Championship (30–34) and the London Triathlon overall title in 2019. Her sights were set on professional long-distance racing when a devastating cycling accident later that year left her paralysed from the chest down. Just days after the accident, while still in intensive care, she mouthed the word “para-athlete” to her family — a promise she’s more than fulfilled. That same spirit of clarity, vision, and drive underpins every keynote she delivers.
In the years since her injury, Claire has achieved a series of remarkable milestones. She became British Paraduathlon Champion, won her category at Ironman Turkey 70.3, and was the first wheelchair athlete to complete the 255 Triathlon — one of the world’s longest one-day triathlon events. In 2022, she was selected for the British Cycling Team, competing in two UCI World Cups and the 2023 UCI World Championships. She has also completed a handcycle journey from London to Paris, demonstrating the power of determination and strategic goal-setting — lessons she brings vividly to life in her talks.
Claire is hired by organisations, schools, and leadership teams looking to inspire resilience, spark mindset shifts, and build high-performance cultures. Her lived experience and athletic mindset resonate far beyond sport, offering powerful tools for navigating change, leading with purpose, and staying motivated under pressure. Whether in boardrooms or classrooms, Claire shows that limits are often only where we place them — and that with the right mindset, anything is possible.
Claire Danson is regularly booked to engage audiences at events, read their latest feedback below:
“I just wanted to say that was incredible. The reaction from everyone was overwhelming and you and your story were truly inspiring. Thank you for taking the time to join us.”
“Literally everyone I’ve bumped into over the last week said how amazing you were – thank you so much. You had grown men crying. Love how honest you were. A true inspiration to all of us.”
“Claire recently took time out to explain her story to my 100 top managers. Through that story she demonstrated her resilience and determination to succeed against the greatest adversity. She inspired every single one of us to ‘just start’ and of course ‘keep going’ even through the toughest of times. She sat at floor level in her chair and just talked to over 100 people sitting around her. Standing to the side I thought she looked the most vulnerable person in the room and yet she was easily the strongest. Tears were shed by many (not her) and she has now inspired so many of us to achieve more in our business and personal lives. I cannot recommend her highly enough.”
“I have had the pleasure of knowing Claire for over 10 years. We were previously in the same triathlon race team and since life has taken on different paths, we have remained great friends. Claire did a talk for our EMEA team at Meta focusing on resilience, the power of mental strength, and how disability isn’t a limitation. If you are looking for a motivational speaker or would like to understand more about the role that society should be playing to further enable accessibility, look no further than Claire. You will struggle to meet another human with the drive, resilience and humility of Claire. She really is one in a million.”
“I highly recommend Claire as a motivational speaker without hesitation. Claire’s journey in retuning to living her dreams through sport from paralysis, following a near-death accident, and, in turn becoming an influential voice in motivational speaking is truly inspiring. She embodies resilience, determination, and unwavering spirit to excel under any of life’s circumstances. Her ability to motivate and uplift others is unparalleled. I have no doubt that Claire will continue to inspire countless individuals with her empowering story, message of hope and most importantly, that disability is not limitation and accessibility is paramount.”
“Please find attached all the wonderful comments left further to your awesome talk on Wednesday – there are 10 pages!!! Testament to how well received it was, honestly there’s never been feedback like that for a guest before!”
“You did an amazing job last night! Thanks so much for sharing your journey with the team. Feedback has been phenomenal. Sharing a stage with you was amazing and a great privilege.”
“It was BRILLIANT! Such a story. I got chills down my spine when you talked about your accident and a fantastic delivery too. Thank you.”
“I just wanted to thank you again for today. You went down a storm, lots of really great feedback!”
“You really did leave the girls, staff and parents buzzing! It really was the best presentation we have ever had – and the comments continue to come in – so well done to you!”
“I have had amazing feedback from staff and students alike; yours is a truly inspirational story and it was wonderful for our students to have the opportunity to hear first-hand from someone with such incredible experience and wisdom.”
The High-Performance Speakers Agency is the UK’s leading bureau for teamwork, leadership, and marginal gains speakers. We hire speakers for corporate conferences and events across the world and cater to both in-person occasions and online webinars. Our roster includes sportspeople, business leaders, adventurers and more, to ensure audiences of all industries receive tailored, impactful advice on optimised performance.
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