photo: 

Video: 

Jeff Adams faced his first barrier at the age of nine, when he was confined to a wheelchair from contracting the virus transverse myelitis. It didn’t take long for Jeff to overcome this obstacle. A few years after his illness, his parents signed him up to play basketball. It was this first taste of competitive sport that propelled him from basketball to racing, and from provincial to national teams.

Today, Jeff has an athlete’s record that runs a page long. Among other wins, Jeff is a two-time Olympian, four-time Paralympian, six-time World Champion, and former World Record Holder in the 1500-metre wheelchair event. He also possesses the only medal won by a Canadian athlete at the International Association of Athletic Federations World Championships in 2001.

Aside from his many medals, his athletic achievements have been recognized by a number of awards, including the Province of Ontario Disabled Athlete of the Year (1992, 1993), Province of Ontario Athlete of the Year (2001), Terry Fox Hall of Fame, and Brampton Sports Hall of Fame.

To top it off, he’s a highly sought after professional speaker for clients such as McDonalds, Pfizer, Sears, Shoppers Drug Mart, and the Government of Canada, speaking on corporate and business efficiencies, and sensitivity training. Since 1998, he’s also presented to more than 250,000 school children of all ages. In 2002, Jeff climbed the 1,776 stairs of the CN Tower, the world’s tallest freestanding structure, to raise funds for a school outreach program called Step Up to Change that educates children about accessibility issues in our society. 

Most recently at the 2004 Paralympic Games, Jeff captured the bronze medal in the 400m wheelchair race.

Jeff has also been an actor, spokesperson, CBC reporter and commentator, and member of the Advisory Committee to the Secretary of State (Amateur Sport). He’s served as Chair of the Accessibility Committee for the Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid Committee, and as Vice-Chair for the Ontarians with a Disability Advisory Council, reporting to the Minister of Citizenship.

Presentations Include:

One Step at a Time
Setting unrealistic goals, and achieving them. Whether it's climbing the CN Tower in a wheelchair, winning a gold medal at the Paralympics, or being the best in business, the process to ensure success is the same.

Getting Back Up
There are times in our lives when we need to understand how to come back from a disappointment. Whether it's surviving cancer, learning how to use a wheelchair, or crashing in the last lap of the Olympics, the getting up part is always much more important that the falling down part, and we rarely have to do it alone.

Celebrating
Celebrating is important. The fireworks that inspire us in sports need to happen in life too, at work and at play. How to make sure that celebrating breeds success in your business team or community.
 
Incredible Moments
The Olympics and Paralympics reunite a world full of people with incredible moments. Athletes understand that getting ready to live those moments doesn't happen overnight. How to get ready for your moment of excellence, whether it's at school, work, sports, or life.

Turning Coal into Diamonds
Understanding how to make the most of every situation - sports techniques that work in real life.