Dame Kelly Holmes is a double Olympic Gold medallist.
The Athens Olympic Games was the pinnacle of a long but frustrating International athletics career for Kelly Holmes. Her double Olympic Gold triumph changed her life forever and fulfilled her second childhood dream of becoming an Olympic Champion.
Her first dream was joining the British Arms which she realised at the age of 17; Kelly turned her back on an early athletics career to forge a successful military career and become a PTI in the British Army. She was later recognised for her services to the Military when she received her MBE after almost ten years’ service. However, she was inspired to return to the track in 1992, watching the Barcelona Olympic Games from her barracks room on camp, when she was surprised to see a former junior rival line up in the women’s 1500m.
The build-up to the Athens Olympic Games was the first year in seven that Kelly wasn’t injured and she made the brave decision to double up in the 800m and 1500m with the rest being history. She finished her illustrious career with 12 major championship medals from the Olympics, Worlds, Commonwealth Games and Europeans.
As well as her athletics achievements, Kelly ranks one of the proudest moments of her life as receiving her Damehood from the Queen in March 2005. Since retiring from International athletics, Kelly has started a new chapter in her life in the business world; establishing her own company and charity. She has also been active in raising the profile of school sport up the political agenda. Kelly became National School Sport Champion in 2006 for three years and pioneered the creation of National School Sport Week. She also led the creation of Girls Active set up with the Youth Sports Trust to capture the interest of disengaged female teenagers.
Kelly fulfilled a personal ambition when she set up the DKH Legacy Trust in 2008, to create life chances for young people. The charity has successfully delivered programmes for hundreds of disengaged young people not in education, training or employment and given them a life changing experience.
In 2012 her charity received two big accolades firstly winning The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award and secondly Sport England appointed the Trust as a delivery partner in the new Youth and Community Strategy, to support young people ‘at the margins’ of society. A year later in January 2013, a huge investment was announced from Sport England with £6.9m of national lottery funding over a four year period to fund the nationwide expansion of the ‘Get on Track’ programme.
Alongside the honour of being President of the Commonwealth Games England, Kelly has a number of ambassadorial positions including her role as Patron of the Jaguar Academy of Sport. She also fulfils speaking engagements to the corporate industry sharing her stories of overcoming adversity, setbacks and desperation to finally achieve her lifelong dreams. In her limited spare time, Kelly devotes time to supporting her chosen charities as well as her own.
To enquire about or book Kelly Holmes for your event contact Arena Entertainment. Either send an email to info@arenaentertainments.co.uk or speak to one of our booking agents on 0113-239-2222.
