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Andy Barrow is a triple Paralympian, three-time European gold medallist and former captain of the Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby team, whose story is a powerful testament to resilience, leadership and lasting impact.
At just 17, Andy’s life changed forever when a spinal cord injury during a local rugby match left him paralysed from the chest down, with limited use of his hands. But adversity sparked a new path. A year later, he discovered wheelchair rugby – a high-octane sport also known as “Murderball” – and went on to join London Wheelchair Rugby Club. By 1999, he was training with the national squad, and in 2002, made his international début at the World Championships in Sweden.
Over the course of his career, Andy:
Represented Great Britain at three Paralympic Games
Competed in three World Championships
Won three consecutive European gold medals
Played in the American league with San Diego
Captained the GB team from 2005 to 2010, including leading them out at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics
Andy retired from elite sport after the London 2012 Paralympics, having made over 100 appearances for his country.
Since hanging up his competitive chair, Andy has become a respected motivational speaker and mentor. He works with corporate audiences around the world, delivering bespoke keynotes that focus on performance, mindset and personal development. His talks are rooted in authenticity, and his lived experience brings a compelling voice to topics such as change, leadership and resilience.
Andy is also passionate about empowering the next generation. Through his mentoring work with the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust and his own 3Cs Challenge – which focuses on confidence, communication and commitment – he has inspired thousands of young people across the UK and beyond.
In 2018, Andy became a Laureus Ambassador and continues to support a range of global and UK-based charitable initiatives.
Andy’s philosophy is simple: success is built on perseverance, and while you can’t always control what happens to you, you can choose how you respond. His message is honest, uplifting and truly inspirational.
Andy shares his powerful personal journey from life-changing injury to Paralympic success, showing how adversity can spark new purpose. This keynote explores the importance of mindset, adaptability and inner strength when facing life’s toughest challenges.
Drawing on his mentoring work with young people and teams, Andy introduces his unique 3Cs framework to help individuals build self-belief, connect effectively and stay committed to their goals. A brilliant session for audiences seeking practical strategies to thrive under pressure.
With experience competing on the world stage, Andy unpacks what it takes to perform at your best when it matters most. This keynote explores resilience, preparation and the mindset shifts required for consistent high performance in any environment.
In this thought-provoking talk, Andy uses his lived experience to highlight the power of inclusion and representation. Aimed at organisations committed to equity and diversity, this keynote inspires positive change and encourages people to challenge assumptions.
Andy Barrow was happy to take questions from the floor and he stayed afterwards to meet and talk further with the parents, which was very much appreciated. I have seen Andy appear at several events now and he always leaves his audience feeling inspired.
’I felt that Andy’s speech was very captivating , it included the right level of humour whilst still bringing a very humble vibe to the room. Andy spoke about HD moments, I think that everyone can relate to some form of HD moment in their life. Excellent delivery, really nice guy.’
Inspirational Speakers has been providing high profile keynote speakers and entertainers for over 25 years.
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Stratford-Upon-Avon, CV37 1RD
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Inspirational Athletes connects schools & communities with elite athletes who inspire, motivate and engage young people through talks, workshops and sports sessions.
