Sam Quek

Sam Quek is an Olympic gold medallist and versatile broadcaster who combines elite sporting insight with engaging media presence. She won gold with Great Britain's women's hockey team at the 2016 Rio Olympics, earning 125 international caps and an MBE for services to hockey in 2017. Since retiring from competitive sport, Sam has established herself across broadcasting, presenting BBC's Morning Live, becoming the first female captain on A Question of Sport, and hosting flagship programmes including BBC Radio 5 Live's 606 and the National Lottery's Amazing Starts podcast. Her sessions empower audiences to embrace resilience, navigate high-pressure transitions, and champion diversity in traditionally male-dominated spaces.

When Sam Quek stepped onto the pitch in Rio 2016 as part of Great Britain's women's hockey team, she helped secure the nation's first ever Olympic gold medal in the sport, defeating the Netherlands in a penalty shootout watched by over 10 million viewers back home. That defining moment, earned after 125 international caps as a defender for England and Great Britain, saw her awarded an MBE in 2017 for services to hockey. Her journey to Rio had been marked by silverware at the 2013 European Championships and 2014 Commonwealth Games, before claiming gold at the 2015 European Championships in London, where she was named Player of the Match in the final against the reigning world and Olympic champions.

Since retiring from competitive sport, Sam has built a formidable career in broadcasting that spans entertainment, sport, and live presenting. She became the first female captain on BBC's flagship quiz show A Question of Sport, breaking new ground in a role traditionally held by male sporting figures. Her television work includes regular presenting on BBC's Morning Live, hosting BBC Radio 5 Live's 606 football phone-in alongside Robbie Savage, and anchoring coverage of the Tokyo Olympics for BBC One. Sam's versatility extends across multiple sports, presenting NFL coverage and rugby union on Channel 5, field hockey on TNT Sports, and football for Channel 4 and LFC TV. Beyond sport, her appearance on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! introduced her to wider audiences, finishing fourth, whilst Celebrity Masterchef showcased yet another dimension to her talents. She has also hosted the National Lottery's Amazing Starts podcast, celebrating community projects funded by National Lottery players, and co-hosted the Daily Telegraph's Women in Sport podcast. Her second book, ROAR: A Celebration of Great Sporting Women, published in October, continues her advocacy for female athletes.

Sam's speaking engagements draw directly from her experience navigating high-pressure environments, career transitions, and championing diversity in male-dominated spaces. Audiences gain practical insight into building resilience under scrutiny, maintaining performance when the stakes are highest, and creating pathways for others to follow. Her authentic approach to discussing the mental challenges of elite sport, particularly the helplessness athletes face during selection processes, resonates with organisations managing change and uncertainty. Whether addressing corporate teams, sporting bodies, or educational institutions, Sam equips audiences with the mindset and strategies to embrace challenge, lead with authenticity, and drive meaningful progress in their own fields.