Marc Woods

Marc had his left leg amputated because of cancer when he was seventeen. The day after he had his stitches out he went swimming and within a year he was swimming quicker with one leg then he did when he had two. His dream was to simply be the best that he could be and just 18 months after he finished his chemotherapy he was selected to represent Great Britain.

He has now retired from swimming having competed internationally for 17 years, winning 12 Paralympic medals from 5 Games and a further 21 from either World or European Championships. In the past he has held world records for 200m, 400m, 1500m Freestyle and as well as being part of the team that held the world record for 4 x 100m Freestyle. Marc is now known for his inspiring story which he delivers to companies all around the world. His speech, titled Path to Gold, giving insights into personal responsibility, leadership, teamwork and motivation.

In 2005 Marc wrote Personal Best, a combination of his inspirational life story and personal development advice, to great acclaim.

'Personal Best is a truly inspirational book, written with great honesty, compassion and humility. Marc's ability to overcome adversity and triumph in so many diverse areas is an example to us all. His immense sporting achievements and his work on behalf of the Teenage Cancer Trust is unequalled and his indomitable spirit shines through.' - Sarah, the Duchess of York

'Marc has a remarkable story and is an absolute inspiration' - Roger Daltrey – The Who

Additional Information

• An ambassador for London 2012 Olympics
• Member of the British Paralympic Advisory Panel for London 2012 Games
• Director of the Youth Sport Trust
• Ambassador for CANSA (South Africa’s Cancer Charity)
• Patron for the Bone Cancer Research Trust
• Performance Consultant to UK Sport