Aaliyah Powell

Aaliyah Powell is one of the most exciting young British athletes we have ever seen in Taekwondo as one of the world’s youngest ever World Championship medallists; securing bronze in the 2019 World Taekwondo Championships in bantamweight, aged just 17. Aaliyah Powell has since become an inspiration to young aspiring athletes after overcoming a massive setback to injury in 2020. When hired as a speaker, Aaliyah shares what it takes to become a professional athlete so young – the sacrifices you must make, and the dedication and resilience it takes.

At just 9 years old Aaliyah first went to a taekwondo practice at her local club and found she has a talent for the sport. From a very young age she decided that, one day, she would make it to the Olympics after being inspired by Olympic gold medallist Jessica Ennis-Hill. As a junior competitor, Aaliyah won gold at the World Junior Championships and gold at the European Junior Championships, cementing her as one of the names to watch in the future of the sport.

Just one year after her incredible performance at the 2019 World Championships where she gained a bronze medal, Aaliyah suffered from a heart-breaking injury and has been riddled with injury ever since, having to undergo surgeries so she can continue her dream of winning gold at the Olympic Games. In 2022 Aaliyah has won numerous medals including silver at both the Swedish Open and the Luxembourg Open, as well as bronze at the World Championships and the French Open. Carrying her top form into the start of the 2023 season, Aaliyah won bronze at both the Dutch Open and the World Championships in Baku.

Having achieved so much at such a young age, Aaliyah was put under a lot of pressure to carry this success into her senior career. This pressure, she says, made her mentally tough – strong foundations for the bright future ahead of her. Now during her keynote speeches, Aaliyah speaks on what it takes to build mental resilience, dedication, and performance, whilst intertwining her talks with some of her passions which include fashion music, and diversity.