Emma Finucane

Emma Finucane was, in 2024, the first woman in 60 years to win three medals for Great Britain at an Olympic Games. Her rise to prominence has been nothing short of outstanding, having reignited the sport that is British women’s sprint cycling. Emma has become an influential figure in sporting, and as a public speaker, her stories of mental resilience, breaking down barriers in women’s sport, and the importance of teamwork are highly inspirational to audiences, including women and budding sporting professionals.

From Carmarthen, Wales, Emma’s childhood dream was to win Olympic gold – and she has done just that. It all began at eight-years-old, when she would go to her local cycling club, Carmarthen Velodrome, with her brother and sister. By 16, Emma was a junior European champion, and 18 saw her become a national champion in the senior National Track Championships. After that came her bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, following which, she won at the World Championships, making her the third Briton in history to do so.

Emma soon saw victory at the National Track Championships again, and then at the 2023 UCI World Championships, where she became Britain’s first women’s sprint world champion in a decade. Next, she achieved the European women’s sprint title, alongside silver in both the team sprint and keirin, defining this as the greatest performance by a British sprinter at a European Championships. From there, she made her historic debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning gold in record-breaking time alongside her teammates, in addition to gaining the individual sprint title. With three medals, one gold and two bronzes, under her belt, she was the first British woman in six decades to achieve such a feat at a single Olympic Games.

In December 2024, Emma was recognised as BBC Cymru Wales Sport Personality of the Year for the second consecutive year. She was also named Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2025 New Year Honours for her services to cycling. Indeed, Emma has accomplished a lot in a short space of time, and she is showing no signs of slowing down. Her plan is to go back to basics, with the ambition to be “unstoppable” at the 2028 LA Olympics. Overall, she is a brilliant choice for those seeking a motivational speaker, ensuring the success of your event and leaving a lasting impression on your audience.