Samantha Quek

Samantha Quek is a former elite defender for the England and Great Britain hockey teams who reached the pinnacle of her sport at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. During an intense final against the Netherlands, she helped secure a historic gold medal in a sudden-death penalty shoot-out. Her international career is defined by remarkable physical and mental toughness; she famously competed through a Championship tournament with two broken ribs and stepped in as captain during the absence of the team leader. Beyond her Olympic success, she has earned silver at the Commonwealth Games and won European Championship medals in London and Boom. Since transitioning from professional sport, Samantha has become one of the UK’s most versatile broadcasters. She currently serves as a team captain on the long-running BBC programme A Question of Sport and has co-anchored Olympic Breakfast coverage. Her media portfolio extends to presenting American football, rugby union, and top-flight football across various major networks. Recently, her profile has grown further through appearances on high-profile entertainment formats such as Celebrity MasterChef, where she reached the final three, and as a contestant on the 2024 series of Strictly Come Dancing. An accomplished author of two books, Samantha explores the psychological demands of high-performance environments and the achievements of women in sport. She is frequently booked for her ability to discuss the discipline required to maintain standards under pressure and the transition from world-class athlete to professional broadcaster. Her presentations offer audiences a unique perspective on resilience and the collective effort needed to succeed on the global stage. On stage, Samantha Quek is best known for talks on Sports, Media, Resilience and Leadership. Audiences leave with a clear, practical view of the subject rather than a generic overview — every keynote is shaped around the brief and the room. Their work resonates with leaders across Health & Wellbeing, Media & Broadcasting and Sport, where the themes translate directly into team decisions, customer experience and growth strategy. Samantha Quek is regularly booked for Motivational Speaker and Awards Hosts, adapting tone, length and format to suit the event — from a 20-minute opener to a full conference keynote with Q&A. Based in UK, Samantha Quek travels internationally for engagements. To check availability or request a tailored brief for your event, send an enquiry and we'll come back with fees, dates and a short summary of how Samantha Quek would approach your audience.