Geoff Huegill

World champion swimmer who defied the odds

Geoff Huegill is one of Australia's most inspirational athletes. Having achieved Olympic status, he stumbled, got back up again, and rose to become one of the world's greatest swimmers at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. In doing so, he fulfilled his personal goals and established himself as a powerful role model for people around the world.

As impressive on stage as he is in the pool, Geoff's inspirational presentation about how he refocused his mindset, health and spirit to get back to the top of his sport provides valuable lessons for people from all walks of life - whether they're setting personal or professional goals.

More about Geoff Huegill's stellar career:

Geoff Huegill's swimming career is certainly impressive: he has won dual silver and bronze Olympic medals, he is a five times World Champion, eight times World Record holder, eight times Commonwealth Gold medalist and holder of twelve Australian National titles.

Yet it was his return to form in 2010 that has been by far the most impressive to date. Having won the Commonwealth 4x100m medley relay gold in 2002 with fellow swimmer Ian Thorpe, and competed at the 2004 Athens Olympics, Geoff Huegill left the pool behind and ballooned in weight.

Then he went from overweight and out of shape to the top of his game at an age when most elite athletes are retired. At 31, he lost an incredible 49kg, retrained his body and mind - and went on to achieve his fastest times in the pool and become the second fastest butterfly swimmer in the world. In doing so, he also brought to an end the mystifying run of miserable results Australia's male swimmers had endured for much of the previous decade.

The time Geoff achieved for the 100m butterfly final - 51.69sec - was easily the fastest he has ever swum and astonishingly placed him second in the world behind the greatest swimmer of all time, American Michael Phelps.

From the moment he exited the blocks in 0.65sec, the fastest any swimmer in the field got into action, Huegill was a man on a mission. The last 50m turned into a victory lap as Geoff Huegill stretched his wings and showed why he has been compared with the legends of his stroke, Pablo Morales and Mary T. Meagher.

It's a measure of how in control Huegill is these days that he didn't allow the emotion of the moment to sweep him into making a commitment to go on to the London Olympic Games. But he did go close. "It's definitely in the more favourable side, there's no doubt about that," he said.

Geoff Huegill is more than just star quality - he delivers the persuasive power of someone who has overcome all the obstacles and succeeded at being his best. The ups and downs of Geoff's life over the past ten years have been committed to history in a documentary and in the book he has written.  As the sports ambassador for FOXTEL, as a life coach with his company OPS, in the television productions he continues to be involved in, and as an inspirational keynote speaker, he continues to inspire and impress everyone he encounters.                                                                                                                       

Geoff Huegill talks about:

Geoff Huegill presents his inspirational story of returning to world champion status despite the odds. By tailoring his presentation to meet your needs, Geoff will relate his own experiences in a way that engages and connects with your audience on a personal level. He will talk about focusing the mind, body and spirit to be best the best they can be. And, he will impart valuable messages about code of conduct, personal values and resilience.