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Crista Cullen is a celebrated Olympic athlete and motivational speaker, best known for her achievements on the hockey field and her dedication to inspiring others. A gold and bronze medal-winning Olympian with 197 international caps, she has represented Great Britain on the world’s biggest sporting stages. Her resilience, determination, and leadership have established her as one of the finest players of her generation, and today she shares those lessons far beyond sport, encouraging audiences to embrace ambition and perseverance in their own lives.
Born in Kenya, Crista developed a love for sport early on before moving to the UK, where she pursued hockey with remarkable passion. Her natural ability and drive quickly propelled her into the senior Great Britain squad, where she earned her first cap while still a teenager. Voted UK Hockey Player of the Year in both 2005 and 2006, she soon became a central figure in the national team. Crista’s Olympic journey began in London 2012, where she was part of the squad that claimed a bronze medal on home soil, sparking a new wave of interest in women’s hockey across the country.
The pinnacle of her career came four years later in Rio, when she played a key role in guiding Great Britain to their first-ever Olympic gold in women’s hockey. Known for her composure under pressure, fierce defending, and commitment to the team, Crista’s performance on the field was instrumental in their success. She retired from international competition as one of Britain’s most decorated hockey players, with 197 caps and a reputation for being both a competitor and a leader who inspired those around her.
Since stepping away from elite sport, Crista has channelled her energy into business, conservation, and motivational speaking. She runs her own consultancy, contributes as a media broadcaster, and speaks at schools, charities, and corporate events. Drawing on her experiences of teamwork, resilience, and goal-setting, she empowers audiences to pursue their ambitions with focus and belief. Also a passionate conservationist connected to her Kenyan roots, Crista combines her sporting legacy with a deep commitment to making a difference. Her tailored, impactful talks leave every audience motivated to achieve more.
Crista Cullen is regularly booked to engage audiences at events, read their latest feedback below:
“Crista gave an inspiring, passionate and motivating presentation to three hundred of our staff on the themes of leadership, the culture of winning teams and team dynamics. Crista is a charismatic, engaging speaker whose talk was inspiring and useful in equal measure. She connected perfectly with our corporate audience, building rapport with both our senior Exec’s and more junior staff. Feedback after the event was particularly strong and I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending her.”
“Crista has a natural warm style of presentation and the content of her delivery is ‘from the heart’. The feedback all said how amazing and inspiring her presentation had been and how encouraging it was to realise that positive thinking and a strong work ethic could bring about great results even when setbacks are encountered along the way.”
“Crista shared her incredible story during which she also brought theory to it, linking the practical and theory together. Her passion and belief came across through the whole time she was on stage. Not only was she incredibly engaging, took great time to understand our team and business, but also understood completely what the key message was.”
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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