Adam Kreek

Adam Kreek

Gold Medal Olympic Rower

Adam Kreek captured the hearts of Canadians as he proudly sang the national anthem 'O Canada' on the medal podium at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Kreek won Gold as a member of the 2008 Men's 8 rowing team, just four years after the heartache of placing fifth at the Athens Games - where they were widely expected to win a medal. After their 2004 defeat, the team went back to the drawing board, and repositioned themselves as favourites once again for Beijing. Kreek shares with audiences the beauty in the sport of rowing, and all that he has learned from it - goal setting, perseverance, and the power of teamwork.


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Adam Kreek is a four-time World Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, Entrepreneur and Expert in High Performance.

A self-described "positive realist," Adam has spoken to over 100,000 people across North America on topics of achievement, leadership and teambuilding. Adam is a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers, and his upcoming book, Beyond Success, will explore key techniques to maximize personal potential, and how simple and practical principles can be harnessed to achieve individual and organizational goals.

Adam has studied human performance, achievement, and wellbeing for over 10 years, and has applied his learnings throughout realms of his life, including high performance sport. He powered his way to a gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, after a disappointing loss at the Athens Olympic Games of 2004. During his 13-year rowing career, Adam won over 60 medals, 27 in international competition, with 43 of these being gold medal or first place performances. Adam was named Athlete Leader of the year at the 2010 Canadian Sports Awards, a lifetime achievement award presented to an individual who has provided outstanding contributions to sport as a leader advocate, change agent and builder.

Adam is committed to inspiring others to expand their personal potential and live well. In addition to his work with organizations, he works in schools with youth, instilling in our next generation the idea that the “secret to happy living is giving”. Adam is an Athlete Ambassador for Right to Play, an international non-profit organization that uses play to rehabilitate youth in disadvantaged regions of the world. He is a board member of the organization Clean Air Champions and speaks to groups across Canada about the benefits of taking care of human and environmental health. Adam is a Play It Cool Athlete Representative with the David Suzuki Foundation and The Climate Project Canada, and a Team Power Smart Leader with BC Hydro. He is a Big Brother, with Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and also serves on the Canadian Olympic Committee, where he supports the goal of spreading the benefits of sport across a broader Canadian society.


Organizations that Adam has spoken to include HSBC Bank Canada, CBC, EPCOR, the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia, DFH Real Estate, the University of British Columbia Sauder School of Business, Ledcor, the Government of British Columbia, KidSport Canada, Royal Military College, The David Suzuki Foundation, Strathcona County, Alberta, Right To Play and the Gold Medal Plates Galas, among dozens of others.


Always eager to take on new challenges, Adam will row across the Atlantic Ocean in Dec. 2011 to advocate for health and wellness and to raise funds for Right To Play.


Adam holds a degree in Geotechnical Engineering and Hydrology from Stanford University.

  • 1. Self-Empowerment for Success

    Four-time World Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist and High Performance Coach, Adam Kreek challenges audiences to attain success and fulfillment simultaneously. In this thought-provoking keynote, Kreek describes key tools and techniques used by Olympians to achieve. In his hallmark down-to-earth manner, Kreek illustrates how we can each harness the lessons of high performance sport and apply them across contexts of workforce performance, team dynamics, and day-to-day tasks. Integral to success is finding fulfillment, an essential component of sustaining long-term achievement and wellbeing. Organizations filled with team members living beyond success are sustainable. Fulfilled individuals do not burn out - they burn brighter.

    A captive audience is guaranteed; after a compelling introduction of what if feels like to compete at the Olympic Games, Kreek rallies the crowd and has each member singing the National Anthem at the top of their lungs!

    I have found personal fulfillment and more traditional success than I could have imagined by sharing the fruits and knowledge of my labor with the broader community. Martin Luther King said it best: "Success is judged by the quality of our relationship with humanity." Live beyond success and engage in activity that truly satisfies and energizes you!

  • 2. Shared Leadership: Lessons in Effective Teamwork

    Successful teams are filled with leaders. Two-time Olympian and Entrepreneur Adam Kreek shares valuable insights on fostering impactful leadership in competitive team environments.

    From 2001 to 2008, Kreek's team lost and won publicly on the world stage, learning powerful lessons in the process. Kreek shares a spectrum of tools and techniques gained from personal experience and his studies of high performance. His on-stage energy and innovative engagement activities entertain and inspire diverse audiences. From participant powered high performance rowing simulations to experiential visualization learning, there is never a dull or uninformative moment in Kreek's teaching. His ability to mobilize audience liveliness is remarkable and leaves an impactful memory for individuals and organizations.

    Learn how to identify and sustain focus on a clear vision and ensure engagement of all team members. Capitalize on personal strengths and identify distinct talents within your team, apply these to maximize team output and effective collaboration. Recognize how leadership and teamwork are synergistic: great leaders find personal achievement in group success, while superior team players choose to apply their potential in group leadership roles. Realize the power of resilient team cohesion through shared success.

  • 3. Optimum Health and Wellness for Peak Performance

    From a childhood plagued with ADHD, to Stanford University and the Olympic Gold Medal podium, Kreek's journey to success required a learned understanding of the integral relationship between nutrition, physical health, mental wellness and human potential. A Healthier You offers science based, gold medal strategies for sustained health and wellness. Kreek shares his intimate understanding of what it takes to reach optimum health and the advantages once attained.

    Introducing a concept he calls Habitual Momentum, Kreek describes step-by-step techniques and rituals to manage stress, non-productivity and mini-crises while striving towards work-life satisfaction. His strategies to circumvent bouts of inactivity ensure mental and physical wellness take precedence.

    Kreek's true story of excellence is inspirational and a testament to the power of human potential when we exercise belief in possibility and an attitude of positive realism. Audiences are left armed with the tools and motivation to transform their wellbeing.

  • “On the 8th of April 2008, Adam addressed the graduating class of officer cadets from the Royal Military College of Canada. His message was clear and inspiring: with hard work and commitment to a goal, anything is possible. This was a perfect message for officer aspirants to hear prior to their commissioning as officers in the Canadian Forces. Adam was able to give context to the challenges of achieving personal best performances by putting the teams' goals first, in support of a mission. He is credible, clear and articulate and he connects with his audience. Adam is a high functioning individual; his intelligence and passion are balanced with an unfailing sense of humour that is not lost on his listeners. Anyone who dares to dream will be moved by Adam's perspectives on making something a reality.”

    Royal Military College

  • “Adam is an incredibly charismatic, creative and engaging person, all attributes that come out in his speaking and motivational projects. Whether to motivate personal change in yourself and those around you or to add value to your business, I have a hard time imagining a better person for the job than Adam.”

    Change Management at British Columbia Public Service

  • “'Success requires a team-full of leaders,' Adam Kreek told one of my audiences, adding that "My medal is a testament to teamwork." Adam is exemplary as a speaker, a teacher, and an expert on what it takes to succeed in a globally competitive endeavor. He teams with you to help make you a winner -- and he drives the enthusiasm of your colleagues to help you achieve your goals! You can find no finer gold, than the gold in Adam Kreek.”

    Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance

  • “I just wanted to drop you a quick line to let you know that Adam was AWESOME at our Gala on Saturday. He was faced with 325 bankers to entertain. He was confident and professional, but also engaging and injected a little humour into the event where appropriate. He got nothing but rave reviews from the audience members I spoke to. Adam is very well spoken and an inspiration to all that he comes in contact with.”

    RBC

  • “Adam talked about what being an elite performer is and what makes someone an elite performer. He did a great job connecting sport to real life and related what our team does to what they may do in their careers. The result was increased commitment and focus over the next few weeks.”

    University of Victoria

  • “I had the pleasure of co-hosting a CBC News Network special with Adam when the Olympic flame arrived in Victoria. He is a dynamic speaker who is personable, smart and articulate. I very much look forward to working with him again.”

    Ian Hanomansing, Journalist, CBC News: The National

  • “I just have to say again how delighted we were with your participation at our conference.  You maintained the perfect tone for our audience and I’ve had countless people commenting to me how much they enjoyed your presentation for days afterwards!  Best of luck with your future endeavours!”

    Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of B.C.

  • “Your presentation really kicked off the two day session for us. We had numerous references back to your experience and journey. Because your story has many similarities to our path we will remember the analogies for years. Yours is a great story of resilience, relationship building, personal and team accountability and friendship.”

    Ledcor Industrial Limited

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