British Adaptive Rower, Paralympic Gold & Bronze Medallist, 6x World Champion, Guinness World Record Holder & Resilience Coach
Naomi Riches’ Biography:
Naomi Riches MBE is a British adaptive rower, Paralympic gold medallist and resilience speaker who represented Paralymics GB over an extraordinary 10-year elite sporting career. Best known for winning gold at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Naomi also secured six World Rowing Championship titles, a World Championship silver medal and a bronze medal at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. Renowned for her determination, teamwork and ability to overcome adversity, Naomi is now highly sought-after as a speaker on resilience, peak performance, inclusion and leadership, sharing lessons from elite sport that translate directly into business and personal success.
Naomi’s rowing career began when she was invited to join the GB Adaptive Rowing Team in 2004. Shortly after joining the programme, she won her first two World Rowing Championship titles and later became a member of Marlow Rowing Club. Over the following decade, Naomi established herself as one of Britain’s most successful adaptive rowers, consistently competing at the highest level internationally. Her achievements culminated in Paralympic gold at London 2012 before retiring from elite sport in 2013 after winning her sixth World Championship title.
Beyond competition, Naomi has continued to make a significant impact through charity work, leadership and public speaking. In 2016, she set a Guinness World Record as the first woman to row the length of the navigable Thames in under 48 hours while raising £51,000 for a local Marlow charity. In recognition of her contribution to the community, she was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Buckinghamshire in 2023, supporting The Countess Howe, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire. She was also appointed an MBE in the 2013 New Year’s Honours for services to rowing.
Today, Naomi runs her own business as an inspirational speaker, facilitator and resilience coach, working with organisations, teams and individuals across the UK. Drawing upon her experiences as an elite athlete and record-breaker, she delivers engaging talks on resilience, diversity and inclusion, teamwork and sustaining peak performance under pressure.
Why Hire Naomi Riches?
Naomi Riches MBE is hired as a speaker for her powerful ability to connect elite sporting experiences with real-world business and personal challenges. Combining Paralympic success with expertise in resilience coaching and facilitation, Naomi delivers engaging and practical talks that inspire audiences to embrace change, overcome setbacks and perform under pressure. Her experiences as a Paralympic champion, world-record holder and advocate for inclusion allow her to offer authentic insights into teamwork, leadership and adaptability. Naomi’s presentations are motivational, relatable and tailored to help organisations build stronger, more resilient cultures.
Naomi Riches’ Career Highlights:
Here are some of the key milestones that define Naomi Riches’ remarkable career:
- 2023 – Became a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Buckinghamshire, supporting The Countess Howe, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire.
- 2020 – Launched her own business as an inspirational speaker, facilitator and resilience coach.
- 2016 – Set a Guinness World Record as the first woman to row the length of the navigable Thames in under 48 hours while raising £51,000 for charity.
- 2013 – Retired from elite sport following a decorated international rowing career.
- 2013 – Won her sixth World Rowing Championship title.
- 2012 – Won a gold medal representing Paralymics GB at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
- 2011 – Secured her fifth World Rowing Championship title.
- 2009 – Claimed her fourth World Rowing Championship title.
- 2008 – Won a bronze medal at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.
- 2004 – Joined the GB Adaptive Rowing Team and won her first World Rowing Championship title shortly afterwards.
Videos
Naomi Riches’ Official Keynote Speaking Videos & Showreel:
Testimonials
“I met Naomi back in 2014 when I started working with the guys at Thomas International, in this time Naomi has not only developed into someone who understands the Thomas tools and how to integrate them into peoples’ everyday lives, she has also become an accomplished keynote speaker sharing her moving story to help others reach for their goals. I would have no problems in recommending Naomi as a World class speaker for your conference.” – Derek, Olympian, Speaker, Business Coach & Mentor
“Naomi spoke at the P2P Annual Gathering recently and was fantastic. Her speech was presented in a highly professionally manner with a fascinating story. She was engaging, funny and there were a few thrills n spills too. But delivering a good speech is only half of it, after her 30 minutes, she had a Q & A session and then she talked with attendees over lunch. She continued to wow the crowd through her charm and interesting stories, but also her interest in our attendees shone through, she really is a ‘people person’. The feedback for our Gathering has been terrific and Naomi was a big part of that success. It was our first since returning after the pandemic, so we had to make it a great event.” – Peter, Director, People 2 Places
“In a business career of (too many) years, you occasionally meet truly exceptional people. Naomi is one of those people. Her CV speaks for itself, much better than I could in this text box. I can thoroughly recommend that you speak to her yourself, to find out if she can help your organisation.” – Mark, Manager – Network & Development, Porsche GB
“Naomi’s style is open, honest and inspiring. She has a remarkable ability to communicate quickly and authentically with people, rapidly establishing rapport. This means that she is particularly effective as a motivational speaker and facilitator. From personal experience, I know that audiences are inspired by what she has to say and that the integrity of her message can generate both tears and laughter. Highly recommended as a keynote speaker at a conferences.” – David, Principal, Opus Business Consulting
“I was lucky to have Naomi as my assessor for the professional assessment and coaching process. She is a quite remarkable person and it was fascinating for me to see how Naomi’s experience and achievements provided such a great background for coaching. She is truly motivational, with a strong, logical style mixed with a great sense of humour. I learned a great deal from Naomi, and she undoubtedly helped me improve my leadership effectiveness as well as my own self-awareness. I would have no hesitation in recommending her in any role in which she had the opportunity to influence people, as she does that in the most outstanding way.” – Clive, CEO, De La Rue
“I’ve worked with Naomi a few times now and can honestly say she is an absolute inspiration and her story is relatable. She is professional, committed and passionate about inspiring others. I would 100% recommend working with Naomi as speaker.” – Charlotte, Global Organisational Learning & Development Senior Coordinator, GW Pharmaceutical PLC
“Naomi’s session was the highlight of our Away Day. She told her inspirational story and seamlessly linked it to our own work and understanding of our own motivations. Naomi’s style is very personable and engaging. She uses humour and her authenticity to draw the audience in and left us all with plenty to think about in our own work contexts. We all felt deeply privileged to have spent this time with Naomi and to have learned from her experiences on and off the water.” – UK Central Government Department
“Naomi told us her journey with its highs, lows and huge achievements in such an engaging, motivating and relatable way.” – Women in Business event, London Chamber of Commerce & Industry
“Loved it – Naomi was inspirational & shared her story in a powerful way. She also made it relevant to us by asking us to think about our goals & what motivates and drives us.” – Tom, Director, Global Analytics
“Really enjoyed Naomi’s session as very inspiring both in terms of how important team work is to move in the same direction, but also from a personal perspective that with right level of determination anything is possible.” – Steve, EMEA Director of Advisory
Speaking Topics
Naomi Riches’ Official Keynote Topics:
- Adversity
- Female Inspiration
- Marginal Gains
- Mental Resilience
- Motivational
- Peak Performance
- Organisational Behaviour
- Teamwork & Team Building
- Disability Awareness
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Emotional Intelligence
- Online Motivation
- Webinars
- Paralympics
How Much Does Naomi Riches Cost to Hire?
How Much Does it Cost to Hire Naomi Riches?
Naomi Riches’ speaking fees typically reflect his exceptional career and international demand. Engagements vary depending on location, format, and duration; keynote appearances, conferences, and international events may command higher fees due to travel and preparation requirements.
