Olympic motivational speaker Devon Harris on stage in front of the Olympic rings

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Olympic keynote speaker · Booking 2027

Olympic motivational speaker from the original Jamaican bobsled team

In 1988 the world laughed when a bobsled team from Jamaica crashed on Olympic ice. Devon Harris was on that team, and he came back to two more Winter Games as captain. Today he shows organizations what pressure reveals, and how to keep pushing through it.

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Winter Olympic Games: Calgary 1988, Albertville 1992 and Nagano 1998.Original member of the Jamaican bobsled team, captain in 1992 and 1998

Booked by teams at

  • Microsoft
  • IBM
  • Adobe
  • Merck
  • Coca-Cola
See all 200+ clients
14,000People in his largest audience
200+Organizations that booked him
5Continents he has spoken on

Olympic-themed events

Kickoffs, conferences and recognition events built around the Games. Reach out 3 to 6 months ahead.

Check your date

The Olympic record

No snow. No funding. No precedent.

Many Olympian motivational speakers overcame adversity. Very few had to help build the system they competed in, under global scrutiny, and then keep performing across three Olympic Games.

  1. 1987

    Kingston, Jamaica

    A team from scratch

    Devon, then an officer in the Jamaica Defence Force, joins the new bobsled team. They learn push starts on a homemade track.

  2. 1988

    Calgary

    The crash the world remembers

    The sled crashes on Olympic ice, broadcast live. The team climbs out and walks it across the finish line.

  3. 1992

    Albertville

    Back, as captain

    Devon returns to the Olympic Games, this time leading the team.

  4. 1998

    Nagano

    A third Winter Games

    His third Olympics, again as captain. Ridicule has turned into respect.

  5. Today

    5 continents

    On stage

    More than 200 organizations have booked Devon to turn that story into lessons on resilience, leadership and teamwork.

The Jamaican bobsled team on their first trip to a bobsled track in 1987
1987: the team's first look at a real bobsled.
The Jamaican bobsled team practicing push starts on a homemade track in Jamaica
Push-start practice at home in Jamaica, on a track with no ice.

Read the history of bobsled

Why organizations bring Devon in

Pressure doesn't inspire performance. It reveals it.

Most organizations do not struggle because they lack talent. They struggle when pressure exposes leadership habits that only work in calm conditions, teamwork that frays when deadlines tighten, ownership that nobody takes and a culture that looks good on paper but not under stress.

As an Olympic motivational speaker, Devon connects the pressure of Olympic competition directly to those moments. Audiences don't just hear a remarkable story. They recognize themselves inside it, and leave with a simple system for what to do next.

What an Olympian brings to your event

  • The real story, from the push track in Jamaica to the crash in Calgary
  • Your audience on its feet, in the bobsled push position
  • Your theme built into the story through the pre-event survey and prep call
  • Time with your people after the keynote, for photos and conversations
  • A simple system they keep using: Responsibility, Reframe, Reset
  • Humor that keeps the room with him from walk-on to Q&A

From an Olympic-themed kickoff

“Devon Harris was exactly what my company needed to kick off our Olympic themed event. His story was captivating and inspiring and held the interest of our three hundred employees. Devon was very gracious after his keynote and spent a lot of time signing autographs and talking with our employees one-on-one and in small groups.”
Parish National Bank

Keynotes

Olympic lessons, built for your event

See all keynote topics
Signature keynote

Keep On Pushing™

The 3R System for turning setbacks into forward momentum

Responsibility, Reframe, Reset: own the moment, change the frame and win the next run.

Resilience keynoteLeadership

When Pressure Reveals Everything

Leadership when the plan gets tested

What pressure exposes in a leadership team, and how leaders keep clarity, trust and ownership when it does.

Leadership keynoteTeamwork

Push Together, Win Together

How teams align, adapt and execute

The bobsled push start as a model for teams that have seconds to get in sync and commit together.

More about this keynote

Where Devon speaks

Sales kickoffsThe Sales Reset for the start of the yearLeadership conferences and retreatsFor leaders whose plans are being testedAssociation conferencesAnnual meetings and milestone eventsCompany meetingsCulture, change and all-hands events

Industries include financial services, healthcare, technology, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and professional associations.

See Devon on stage

Watch an Olympian work a room

Speaker reelWalk-on, the story, the room on its feet and what clients said afterwards.

Meet Devon HarrisA short introduction to Devon on stage.

Inside the story

How bobsled began, and how a team from Jamaica ended up in it.

Bobsled historyDevon's full bio

What clients say

An Olympic story, applied to their world

Read all client reviews
“Engaging. Approachable. Motivational. Devon Harris captivated the room as he shared his journey to Olympic stardom and translated his success into practical application. Devon’s sense of humor, knowledge of our audience, and his willingness to share personal struggles deeply resonated. He was our kick-off keynote and the excitement of his message made a lasting impression on our week.”
Roche Diagnostics
“His ability to connect his Olympic journey to real-world challenges made his message on perseverance, resilience, and teamwork both relatable and motivating.”
Bank of Tennessee
“He shared not only about his experience making Olympic history, but also what it takes to keep pushing forward.”
Emerson
“Devon Harris had everyone on their feet. Our entire workforce gained from his experiences and insights.”
New Jersey Skylands Insurance

Planning questions

Olympic speaker FAQ

What event teams ask before they book an Olympian. Anything else, ask Devon's team.

Portrait of Devon Harris, three-time Olympian and keynote speaker

About Devon Harris

Raised in Olympic Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica. Graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and a former Captain in the Jamaica Defence Force. Original member of the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team that inspired Cool Runnings, captain in 1992 and 1998, and an Olympian for Life (World Olympians Association, 2018). Author of Keep On Pushing: Hot Lessons From Cool Runnings.

Speaking KitFull bio

Is Devon Harris a real Olympian?

Yes. Devon competed in bobsled at three Winter Olympic Games: Calgary 1988, Albertville 1992 and Nagano 1998. He was an original member of the Jamaican bobsled team and its captain in 1992 and 1998.

Was Devon in Cool Runnings?

Devon was on the real 1988 Jamaican bobsled team that inspired the Disney film Cool Runnings. The film is a fictionalized version of the story. On stage, Devon tells what really happened, from the homemade push track in Jamaica to the crash in Calgary.

What makes an Olympic motivational speaker different?

An Olympic motivational speaker has performed under the kind of pressure most audiences only imagine, with the result visible to the whole world. Devon turns that experience into something practical: his 3R System of Responsibility, Reframe and Reset, which teams can use the next time a plan falls apart.

Can Devon speak at an Olympic-themed event?

Yes. Olympic-themed kickoffs, conferences and recognition events are a natural fit. Parish National Bank booked Devon to kick off its Olympic-themed event. Every keynote starts with Devon's pre-event survey and a prep call, so your theme and goals are built into the talk.

How much does it cost to book an Olympic speaker like Devon?

Fees depend on the date, the location and the format, in person, virtual or hybrid. Send your event details through the form on this page and Devon's team will reply with fee and availability.

Check availability

Bring an Olympian to your event. Check Devon's dates.

Tell us your date, location and audience, and why you want an Olympic motivational speaker in the room. Devon's team will come back to you with availability, fees and format options.

  • Send your event detailsDate, location, audience size and what you want people to walk away with.
  • Talk with Devon's teamAgree on the keynote, the format and your goals for the event.
  • Get a keynote built for your eventThe pre-event survey and prep call shape the Olympic story around your theme.

Prefer to talk now? Call 844-853-3766 or email speaker@devonharris.com.

Check Devon's availability

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