Laura Deas

Laura Deas is an Olympic medal-winning British skeleton racer and public speaker.

At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Laura won a bronze medal, and along with teammate Lizzy Yarnold, became the first British Winter Olympians to medal together in an individual event. She also became the first Welsh woman to ever win a Winter Olympic medal, but also to be part of the first Winter Olympic podium to feature more than one Team GB athlete.

She also won multiple world medals over a 15-year career, including partnering with Matt Weston to win a silver in the inaugural team event at the World Championships in 2023.

Now a keen sporting speaker, Laura loves sharing her story from a beginner to an Olympic medallist, providing insights and inspiring the next generation of summer and winter athletes.

Booking is easy with Great British Talent. To find out availability and fees for Laura Deas or any other talent for your corporate event or project. Contact our Great British Talent agents via bookings@greatbritishtalent.com or call us on +44 1753 439289.

Alternatively, fill out our talent enquiry form here https://greatbritishspeakers.co.uk/contact/. Either way, we try to respond within the hour.

Our knowledgeable team of experts can handle all aspects of your booking to make sure it runs flawlessly.

Type Of Speaker

Female Speakers Motivational Olympians Speaker Sport

More About Laura Deas

Skeleton racing wasn’t Laura Deas’ first love. When she was younger, she played hockey, representing North Wales in national competitions, and competed in equestrian sports, captaining the tetrathlon.

Laura came into the sport of skeleton through a ground-breaking talent identification scheme created by UK Sport, in which she successfully transferred from her background in equestrianism.

Laura Deas hire British sportswoman speaker book at agent Great British Speakers

It wasn’t long before she was winning races. In 2010 she won the Europe Cup race in what was just her fifth international race. She went on to compete at the Junior World Championships, North American Cup, Intercontinental Cup, World Cup, World Championships and European Championships, winning an astonishing 12 podium places, and over 20 medals.

Her debut appearance at the Olympic Games was in 2018 in Pyeongchang, winning the bronze medal in the individual skeleton, becoming the first Welsh woman to win a Winter Olympic medal. She competed in the 2022 games but, due to inadequate equipment, did not make a podium finish.

Outside of skeleton, she is a member of the UK Anti-Doping Athlete Commission, and is an ambassador for the Super Sliders programme, the world’s first charity to offer young people the opportunity to experience ice-track sports, including the skeleton. She is also an ambassador for the British Elite Athletes Association.

In addition to her achievements in competition, Laura has also been awarded numerous other accolades including an Honorary Master of Science and is a member of the Welsh Sport Hall of Fame. Additionally, she is active in the charity sector, especially enjoying mentoring young people.

In 2022, Laura appeared on The Olympic Mindset Podcast, talking about the power of being an introvert in a very fast and energetic sport.

Laura Deas hire British sportswoman speaker book at agent Great British Speakers

Laura is now a presenter, broadcaster and motivational speaker.

Skeleton is one of the fastest and highest-pressure sports to exist, and Laura is passionate about sharing how her journey from total beginner to Olympic medallist taught her valuable lessons – in grit, overcoming setbacks and managing fear in one of the most dangerous sports in the world.

She has been booked as a speaker at the Houses of Parliament and for organisations including National Lottery, UK Sport, Team GB, and Allwyn.

Laura Deas | Speaking Topics

– Performing under pressure
– Mindset
– Overcoming setbacks and adversity
– Managing fear
– Team dynamics
– Effective communication in high-pressure situations
– Finding confidence
– Developing resilience
– Goal setting
– Gaining a competitive advantage
– Striving to be the best you can be
– Pushing yourself to improve
– Marginal gains
– Focus
– Determination
– Refusing to give up
– Changing career
– Motherhood

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book Olympic skeleton racer Laura Deas for your corporate event.

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Testimonials

We recently had the immense privilege of welcoming Laura Deas, Olympic skeleton bronze medallist, to speak at our Sports Awards Evening, and her impact on our school community has been unforgettable.

Laura’s story resonated deeply not only with our students, but also with our staff and parents. Her honesty, warmth, and humility drew everyone in, but it was her extraordinary journey, built on courage, adaptability and perseverance, that left the greatest impression.

Laura shared how she entered elite sport not through early specialisation, but by taking a chance on a talent identification programme. She was selected through the UK Sport Girls4Gold initiative even though she had never competed in skeleton before, and she committed herself to mastering a completely unfamiliar discipline from the very beginning.

Her willingness to step forward into uncertainty, and to believe that potential can be developed through genuine effort, was a message our young people needed to hear. Students left the evening inspired by the realisation that opportunity often arrives in unexpected ways and that sometimes the most important act of bravery is simply saying yes before you feel ready.

Laura also reflected on her school years, describing how she embraced every activity, club and sport available to her. She spoke about how those experiences were not just about participation, but about discovery. By exploring different interests and stepping into new environments, she learned to trust her abilities and to welcome challenge with confidence. These early experiences nurtured the spirit of curiosity and courage that later empowered her to enter a completely new sport and pursue it with conviction.

Her journey in skeleton demanded enormous resilience. She progressed from early competitions in Europe and North America to eventually earning a place on the World Cup circuit through years of disciplined training and steady improvement. What inspired us most was her historic bronze medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, where she stood on the podium with Lizzy Yarnold. This remarkable moment secured her place in British sporting history as the first Welsh woman to win a Winter Olympic medal.

Hearing Laura recount her path, from stepping into a sport she had never tried before to learning to trust her instincts at incredible 80mph speed, overcoming setbacks and developing world class mastery, was nothing short of powerful. She reminded us that success is rarely straightforward. It is earned through persistence, openness, and the courage to push beyond what we believe we can do.

As she reflected on her career, including the nearly 100 international races she competed in and the friendships, discipline, and life lessons shaped along the way, Laura reminded our community that the essence of sport is not measured only by medals. It is found in character, growth and the strength to keep moving forward.

Her story offered our students more than inspiration. It gave them permission to dream ambitiously and the motivation to pursue their ambitions with real determination.

On behalf of Cirencester Kingshill School, we extend our deepest thanks to Laura Deas for her sincerity, motivation and the sense of possibility she shared with us. Her journey proves that extraordinary things can happen when you dare to begin and refuse to give up.

Jo Lindley, Headteacher, Cirencester Kingshill School