Nicola Adams

Former WBO Flyweight title holder, Nicola Adams, is one of the most decorated female boxers of all time. With success on the Olympic stage and professional titles, Nicola has proven herself a role model and inspiration, against all odds. Despite being the repeated victim of racial and homophobic abuse, Nicola has preserved and gained the respect of the sporting world and beyond for her resilience in the face of adversity. At events, Nicola shares how her experiences as a Black successful woman can inspire progressive change.

With one World Championship, one European Championship and two Olympic Golds to her name, Nicola has gained her place in boxing history. A dedicated and driven sportswoman, Nicola has continually achieved firsts in her career, from becoming the first British female boxer to win a medal in a major tournament to securing Team GB’s first-ever Olympic women’s boxing Gold, Nicola is a powerhouse in the ring. Turning professional in 2017 only led to greater triumph, with Nicola winning the WBO Female Flyweight title in 2019 and maintain her undefeated record.

For her positive influence on sports, Nicola was honoured with an OBE in 2016 and was awarded the Joe Bromley Award from the Boxing Writers’ Club of Great Britain, the first female to ever be invited to the achievement event. Furthermore, her advocacy for the LGBT+ community saw her named in the 101 Most Influential LGBT People in Britain list in 2012 and the BBC’s 100 Women of 2015.

As a speaker, Nicola explores the challenges she faced being in the spotlight, and the racial microaggressions she has been subjected to by the public. Despite being the focus of racism and homophobia, Nicola has used her platform to tackle discrimination and remain true to her identity, to much admiration from sports stars, fans and the audiences. Such resilience has seen her named on the annual Powerlist of influential African Brits.