I’m Annabelle. I’ve worn a number of different hats over the years: international speaker, Paralympic gold medalist, five-time world record holder, corporate lawyer at Allens Linklaters, sports broadcaster, stunt-double for Charlize Theron, and Mum to Josie and Clementine. My life has been full of excitement and I’ve cherished every moment; not just because I’ve accomplished what I’ve set out to do, but because I’ve always been grateful for the support I’ve had from those around me.

I was born without a left hand and forearm, but I haven’t let that affect my life—outside of the small things, like getting half-price manicures, which is great! In my twenties, I trained six days a week as captain of the Australian Paralympic swim team while simultaneously building a professional legal career, which included stints in Paris at the Australian Trade Commission and Washington D.C. as a representative for an NFL/NBA player agency. In 2012, my dream came true when I won a gold medal at the London Paralympics. Since then, my career has spanned law, sports administration, and television broadcast. I’ve been the in-house counsel for the Australian Olympic Committee, an award-winning sports host and Vice President of Paralympics Australia. I feel fortunate to have built a successful corporate career and to have fostered diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Building a sense of belonging is at the heart of everything I do.

I’ve always found strength in my own determination, but at the same time, I feel my life has been so significantly shaped by the empathy and kindness of others. It’s hard to emphasise how important that is to me. It is such a simple thing, and yet, I would not have accomplished nearly as much without it.

In a larger way, I think finding the courage to be kind to others can sometimes be as daunting as the finding the courage for our own aspirations. It is something that I’ve always reflected on and threaded through my life as a part of my mission, my passion, and my inspiration to audiences around the world. I hope that my story can help you and your organisation find a strength you never knew you had.