Oliver Lam-Watson

Oliver Lam-Watson is a Paralympic athlete and passionate advocate for disability inclusion. He represents Great Britain in wheelchair fencing and has achieved remarkable success.

Born with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome, Oliver faced the challenge of living with a condition that left him unable to straighten or bear weight on his left leg. Doctors told him that competitive sports were out of the question. Rather than accepting this prognosis, Oliver set out to defy the odds.

Since starting his competitive career in 2018, Oliver has achieved remarkable success. He earned two Paralympic medals at Tokyo 2020 and two more at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. In 2022, Oliver became a double European Champion in Warsaw, claiming gold in Team Épée and Foil.

In addition to his competitive sports, Oliver champions a “Do More” message, reshaping perceptions of disability and inspiring others. Through his social media platforms, he promotes inclusivity in sports and addresses broader issues like anxiety and amputation, offering hope and motivation to a global audience.

Contact Great British Speakers today to book the inspirational four-times Paralympic medal winner Oliver Lam-Watson for your next event.

Type Of Talent

DisabilityKeynoteLGBTQ+ (Pride)Mental HealthMotivationalOlympians/ParalympiansResilienceSpeakerSportVirtual Speakers

More About Oliver Lam-Watson

Before pursuing fencing, Oliver studied architecture for six years, during which time he became deeply motivated to work on social change, particularly in the realm of disability inclusivity.

Oliver Lam-Watson | Digital Creator

With a growing social media platform, Oliver regularly connects with his 70,000 followers on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. He candidly shares his journey and his relationship with perceptions of disability.

Through his social media presence, Oliver advocates for inclusivity in sports while tackling broader topics, such as mental health and the challenges surrounding amputation. By sharing his experiences, he provides hope and inspiration to audiences worldwide, fostering conversations that encourage resilience and understanding.

Oliver Lam-Watson | A Sporting Transformation

Growing up, Oliver hated sports. It was when a personal trainer friend suggested he try some Spartan Races that his love of sports was born. The Spartan Races, a series of intense obstacle courses with challenges like fire jumps and mud crawls, gave Oliver a sense of identity, and he wanted to push against the ideas of what people thought he could do.

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After this, he decided to explore fencing and called up every fencing club in London. Determined to make this a success, he persuaded a club to take him on and devoted a gap year to training. Six months later, his efforts were realised when he was selected for the World Cup.

Oliver Lam-Watson | Sporting Achievements

World Cup Warsaw 2018

– Bronze medal in the individual épée

– Silver medal in team foil.

World Championships Korea 2019

Bronze medal in team épée.

Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

– Men’s Team Foil: Silver

– Men’s Team Épée: Bronze

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

– Men’s Team Foil: Silver

– Men’s Team Épée: Bronze

Oliver Lam-Watson | Speaking

Like fellow Great British Speakers Paralympian Ellie Challis, Oliver has an inspirational story to tell and an important message for those who believe they can’t fulfil their dreams or overcome the hurdles they face.

In 2019, he was invited to deliver a TED Talk. His talk, ‘If You’ve Ever Been Told You Can’t‘ explores perceptions of what we can achieve and how the biggest obstacles are not our disabilities or adversities but our perceptions of what we are capable of.

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Oliver adapts his keynotes based on the organisation, brand and the purpose of the engagement.

Popular speaking topics include:

– Resilience

– Thriving, not just surviving

– Energising and fulfilling dreams

Why Book Oliver Lam-Watson?

Oliver shares his journey of overcoming the challenges of a congenital disability to achieve success as a Paralympic medalist. His personal insights resonate deeply with audiences, encouraging them to redefine their perceptions of limitations and possibilities. As a champion for disability rights and inclusivity, Oliver delivers impactful talks that challenge stereotypes, promote acceptance, and inspire organisations to create more accessible and equitable environments.

He discusses the crossover between mental health and disability, openly discussing his experiences with anxiety and the emotional impact of societal expectations.

His motto is ‘Do More’, and before the Paris 2024 Paralympics, he said: “My journey – my road to Paris – can be summed up in one sentence. “Why not you? Why would you not be here? Why could you not do what I have done?’ We all strive to move on from different adversities and challenges for different reasons but with one common thing in mind: there is nothing stopping us.”

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book Paralympic medal winner and inspirational speaker Oliver Lam-Watson for your next event.

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Testimonials

Oliver Lam-Watson was a great speaker for our event who really knew how to read the room and engage with the audience. He also joined pre-event for a networking breakfast where he was confident and enthusiastic when speaking to our guests. With such an interesting presentation and story, it created lots of questions in the Q&A section of the speaking slot and Oliver answered all these questions perfectly. We followed up with our guests post event and many invitees picked Oliver as their favorite speaker from the day. Allianz