Background
Abigail has been an athlete for over half of her life, first representing Great Britain as a junior in 2007 and on senior teams since 2009. Yet her Team GB Olympic debut came a decade after her first missed attempt (2012) at the postponed, Tokyo 2020ne Games!
Nothing could stop Abigail’s Olympic dream from becoming a reality – not injuries, surgeries, or even… retirement (?!).
Abigail’s story is one of perseverance and resilience.
If you’re trying to write your own comeback story, want to inspire and equip your teams to raise their game, or simply want a confidence-boost, get in touch with Abigail today.
As well as being one of Britain’s best female long-jumpers over the last fifteen years, she also shares insights from her study of NLP, CBT and Mindset Coaching to add an extra layer of impact to her talks and workshops.
Speaker Bio
Abigail Irozuru is an Olympic finalist, speaker, MBA candidate and strategist.
She represented Great Britain for nearly two decades in the long jump, competing and becoming a finalist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the World Championships, the European Championships, and the Commonwealth Games.
Today, Abigail works at the intersection of sport, business, AI innovation, and high performance. She serves on the British Olympic Association and UK Athletics Athletes’ Commissions and is the founder of the Entrepreneurship & Sports Industry Club at Alliance Manchester Business School, where she is completing her MBA.
As a professional speaker, Abigail specialises in resilience, transition, and high-performance mindset, drawing on her lived experience of injury, reinvention, and elite competition. She hosts the podcast Define Your Success, exploring the athlete journey and life beyond their sport with Olympians, Paralympians and their High-Performance Teams.
Her work includes serving as a trustee for GM Moving and the Dame Robina Shah Foundation (DRSF), where she leads initiatives to improve access to physical activity, community wellbeing, and youth engagement across Greater Manchester. She combines strategic thinking with practical action to design programs that are inclusive, system-wide, data-informed, and impactful — helping to remove barriers to participation, foster belonging, and create environments where communities, especially young people, can thrive.
Athletics Achievements
Senior Highlights
2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games Finalist
2021 Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Finalist
2020 British Indoor Champion
2019 British Champion
7th at IAAF World Athletics Championships, Doha
7th at European Athletics Championships, Glasgow
2018 Return from Retirement: England Champion
2016 Retirement
2015 British Indoor Champion
2012 British Indoor Silver Medalist
2009 – First senior GB international vest
Junior Highlights
2008 Northern Indoor Champion
British U20 Champion
World Junior U20 Finalist (Top 8)
Commonwealth Youth Games Champion (India)
Sale Harriers Manchester, Darren Campbell annual award – Young Athlete of the Year Award
2007 British U20 Bronze Medalist
First international – Great Britain – World Youth Championships – Ostrava – 15th place
2006 English Schools Silver Medallist
British Schools Silver Medallist (England vest)
Speaking Testimonials
Provided motivation and inspiration to be successful. Fantastic speaker who produces results. Knows how to get over set backs and focus on goals.
Saeed, Director at Accountancy Place
I love the way Abigail shares her story and despite all she has been through remains positive and believes that ‘the best is yet to come’ . Truly inspirational!
Lavenia, First Secretary at Fiji High Commission
Resources
Latest Blog Posts
My First 5km! Building an Aerobic Engine From Scratch.
Last Thursday, I ran my first ever 5km in 36:37, and just a week later shaved nearly 30 seconds off that time while keeping my heart rate steady at 145 bpm. It felt easier, more controlled, and for the first time I could sense my aerobic engine starting to grow. The lesson? Sometimes slowing down…
Letting Go Was the Hardest Win Yet
I thought I’d cry when I retired.But I didn’t. Not at first. Instead, I went to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, not as a competitor, but as part of the Team GB support staff — mingling, laughing, screaming my voice raw cheering on friends and fellow athletes. I danced. I felt the joy. I felt…
Transforming Lives
Abigail is an Olympic athlete, speaker, coach and woman of faith.
She’s passionate about people living holistically-healthy and happy lives – herself included.
This means sharing her whole self in the most authentic, wholehearted and loving way she can for her own growth – through the highs and lows of life (think post-traumatic growth) – and equipping and inspiring others to do the same.
Everyday is an opportunity to live a transformed life.
You can be encouraged and equipped by following her blogs, subscribing to her mailing list or – for more direct support – enquire about 1-2-1 or group coaching. Initial coaching consultations are free.
abigailirozuru 