Claire Danson is a beacon of incredible determination and hope. In the summer of 2019, she became a GB Age Group Triathlon Champion – but just weeks after, her life changed forever when she collided with a tractor during a training session. Although paralysed from the chest down, she worked hard on her recovery and became an outstanding para-athlete. Claire’s story is one of tremendous inspiration, making her a highly in-demand guest speaker on overcoming adversity, peak performance, and determination.
Her challenges beginning when she was a teenager, Claire overcame a life-threatening anorexia battle. From there, she was driven to focus on her health and true passion, sport. By the age of 17, Claire had thrown herself into long-distance running, soon realising her love for cycling and swimming. Before long, she was delving into triathlons and achieving noteworthy accolades, from becoming a European Age Group Champion in 2019, to winning the London triathlon, to her victory at Staffordshire Ironman 70.3.
With great resilience and a positive mentality, Claire continues to reach astonishing heights in her para-athlete career, completing several triathlon challenges such as the longest single day triathlon; cycling from London to Paris; sit-skiing in Colorado; as well as representing Great Britain on the national hand cycling team. Further notable accomplishments include filming the documentary, Limit/less with Red Bull and completing Ironman Turkey 70.3; in addition to being selected to represent Great Britain in the 2023 UCI World Championships. Most recently, she raced in World Cups in Belgium and Italy, alongside becoming a Circuit TT National Hand Cycling Champion. Claire’s pursuit of success is relentless, making her a figure of significant inspiration to others. Next, she has her sights set on the 2028 Paralympics in LA.
Claire’s story isn’t just one of perseverance, but a call to action. Drawing from her personal experiences, her motivational talks focus on overcoming hardships, cultivating resilience, and maintaining a positive mindset. With honest, wholehearted delivery, she homes in on the importance of viewing challenges as opportunities, being an ambitious goal setter, and celebrating even the smallest victories. She deeply connects with her audiences, reminding them that with the right mindset, anything is possible. A passionate advocate for mental health awareness, the power of teamwork, and the value of growing a supportive community, Claire’s profound message will resonate with individuals, whether on a personal or professional level.
Claire Danson's official speaking topics are listed below:
Resilience in the Face of Adversity
- How to Adapt & Thrive Despite Life-Changing Challenges
- Personal Lessons from Overcoming Both Mental & Physical Setbacks
Overcoming Obstacles
- Turning Setbacks into Opportunities for Growth
- Strategies to Maintain Focus & Determination When Faced with Challenges
Maintaining a Positive Mindset
- The Importance of Optimism & Reframing Negative Situations
- Practical Techniques for Cultivating Positivity in Tough Times
Goal Setting & Achievement
- Breaking Down Big, Seemingly Unachievable Goals into Manageable Steps
- Celebrating Small Wins to Build Momentum Toward Success
Reframing Challenges into Opportunities
- Shifting Perspectives to See Opportunities within Obstacles
- Real-Life Examples of How Claire Applied This Mindset After Her Accident
The Power of Teamwork & Support
- Building a Support Network & Fostering Collaboration
- How Teamwork & Shared Purpose Lead to Greater Success
Embracing Change & Navigating Uncertainty
- How to Adapt to Unforeseen Circumstances with Courage & Flexibility
- Finding Direction & Purpose During Times of Transition
Inspiration Through Sport
- Lessons from Claire’s journey as a Triathlete & Para-Athlete
- The Intersection of Sport, Determination, & Personal Transformation
Inclusion & Diversity
- Promoting Inclusion & Celebrating Diversity in All Aspects of Life & Work
- Drawing from Claire’s Personal Experience to Inspire Understanding & Acceptance
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
“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.” - Peter, Managing Director, Red Bull UK
“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.” - Alexandra, Partner, Carter and Jonas
“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.” - Alastair, CEO, Great Bear Distribution
“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.” - Mollie, Marketing Leader, Meta
“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.” - Andrew, Innovative Procurement Strategist, Greggs
“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!” – Emma, CEO, Wings for Life
“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.” - Ruan, Program Director, DXC Technology
“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.” - Federica, UBS
“I just wanted to thank you again for today. You went down a storm, lots of really great feedback!” - Carole, Haleon
“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!” - Sarah, Director of Sport, Godolphin School
“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.” - Melody, Assistant Headteacher, All Hallows School
- 2024 – Closed Circuit TT National hand cycling champion
- 2024 – Selected to race in World Cups in both Belgium and Italy
- 2023 – Selected to represent Great Britain in the UCI World Championships
- 2023 – Represented Great Britain for the first time in a hand cycle race
- 2023 – Represented Great Britain for the first time in a hand cycle race
- 2022 – Completed Ironman Turkey 70.3
- 2022 – Hand cycled from London to Paris
- 2022 – Filmed a documentary with Red Bull
- 2022 – Went sit-skiing in Colorado
- 2021 – Selected to be in the Great Britain Cycling Team
- 2021 – Took part in the longest single day triathlon
- 2020 – First triathlon as a para-athlete
- 2019 – Life-changing collision with tractor, severing spinal cord
- 2019 – European Triathlon Champion
How to hire Claire Danson
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Claire Danson for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
