Miriam Welte

Miriam Welte is an Olympic gold medallist and world champion track cyclist renowned for her explosive speed and exceptional partnership with Kristina Vogel in the team sprint. With six world championship titles, four European championships, and 21 German championships to her name, she made history at the 2012 London Olympics by winning gold in the first-ever women's team sprint event. Since retiring from elite competition in 2019, she has served as a chief inspector in the police force and, in 2026, became chair of the German Olympic Academy, where she now shapes the future of Olympic education and athlete development. Audiences gain powerful insights into resilience, peak performance under pressure, and the courage required to transition successfully between demanding careers.

At the 2012 London Olympics, Miriam Welte and her teammate Kristina Vogel made history by winning gold in the first-ever women's team sprint event, setting a world record that announced Germany's dominance in track cycling's most explosive discipline. That victory marked the pinnacle of a career defined by relentless speed, precision, and an ability to perform under the most intense pressure. From her early days as a junior championship runner-up in 2002, trained by her stepfather Frank Ziegler, Miriam carved a path through elite competition that would see her claim six world championship titles, four European championships, and 21 German national titles across a career spanning nearly two decades.

Her achievements extend far beyond that golden moment in London. Miriam dominated the 500-metre time trial at German elite level from 2006 to 2008, secured European titles in 2006 and 2008, and won bronze at the 2008 Track Cycling World Championships. Her partnership with Kristina Vogel became legendary, delivering world championship gold and world records in 2012 and 2013, and despite setbacks including a scalded foot in 2015 and an elbow injury in 2016, she demonstrated remarkable resilience to win bronze at the Rio Olympics and two more world championship golds in 2018. After retiring from professional cycling in 2019 to pursue a career in the police, where she rose to the rank of chief inspector, Miriam returned to leadership within the sport she transformed. In 2026, she was appointed chair of the German Olympic Academy, a role that positions her at the forefront of Olympic education and athlete development in Germany.

Through her speaking engagements, Miriam offers audiences a rare perspective on what it takes to reach the top of elite sport and then successfully transition into new, demanding careers. She explores the mindset required to perform when milliseconds separate victory from defeat, the importance of building partnerships based on trust and shared commitment, and the courage needed to reinvent yourself after achieving everything you set out to accomplish. Audiences leave with practical strategies for overcoming setbacks, maintaining focus under pressure, and approaching challenges with the same determination that carried her from junior competitor to Olympic champion and now to shaping the future of German sport. Her story demonstrates that excellence is not a destination but a continuous journey of adaptation, resilience, and doing things differently.