Jason Smyth is one of Ireland’s most Decorated Irish Paralympic Athlete. Diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease, a condition that severely limits his vision, Jason has not let this challenge hinder his pursuit of excellence. Throughout his illustrious 18-year career, he remained unbeaten, securing 21 gold medals in the 100m and 200m events, including six Paralympic Games golds. His incredible achievements earned him the title of “Fastest Paralympian on the Planet.”
Born in Derry, Jason began running competitively at the age of 16. By 17, he was competing in Paralympic sports, quickly rising to prominence with his record-breaking performances at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games. He continued to dominate in subsequent Paralympics, including the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Games, further cementing his legacy with his performances at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
In recognition of his contributions to sport, Decorated Irish Paralympic Athlete Jason was honored with an MBE in 2022. He has since retired from competitive racing and taken on the role of Strategy Manager at Paralympics Ireland, where he helps shape the future of para sport. Additionally, Jason is training to become a qualified financial advisor, showcasing his dedication to continuous personal and professional growth.
Jason’s journey is marked by resilience, determination, and a commitment to excellence. As a keynote speaker, he shares his powerful narrative of overcoming adversity and achieving greatness. His talks are known for their inspirational messages on leadership, performance, and the importance of fostering a high-performance culture.
To book Decorated Irish Paralympic Athlete Jason Smyth for your event, contact Front Row Speakers on +353 1 485 3991 or email welcome@frontrowspeakers.com.
High Performance: Jason discusses the principles and strategies that have enabled him to achieve and sustain peak performance in his athletic career.
Resilience: He shares his journey of overcoming significant challenges, including his experience with Stargardt’s disease, which severely limits his vision.
Motivation: Jason provides insights into maintaining motivation and drive, even in the face of adversity.
Leadership: Drawing from his role as Strategy Manager at Paralympics Ireland, Jason talks about effective leadership and the importance of strategic direction.
Teamwork: He emphasizes the role of teamwork in achieving success and how collaborative efforts lead to remarkable outcomes.
Diversity & Inclusion: Jason highlights the importance of inclusivity in sports and other areas, advocating for greater opportunities and support for people with disabilities.
“Jason, thanks so much for today, your speech was fantastic – incredibly frank, thought provoking and genuinely inspirational. The part that stood out most for me was when you spoke about learning first to accept your disability before you could realize your full potential. I know we’ll be talking about your visit for a long time and we’ll hopefully get the video up on the Citi Broadcast center so it can be viewed by Citi employees around the globe!”
-Citi Group, Belfast 5th September 2017
“The Jason Smyth event on Monday, Sep 11th (2023) was remarkable. Feedback from senior leaders and attendees was extremely positive. It was an honor to meet Jason on the day. He is a remarkable talent but also a genuine, kind and well humored person. I really enjoyed his piece on seeking clarity on your goals; positioning yourself in a positive environment and surrounding yourself with the best people in your field. Trusting your coach/team and remaining resilient thought out your journey resonated with me and something that can be applied throughout your professional career or personal life. Jason was also bombarded with questions after the event. He spent an additional hour talking to associates over lunch which was extremely gorgeous of him.”
-Fidelity Investments, Dublin. September 2023
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