My role is to break those glass ceilings so it's easier for everybody to be the people they want to be.
Australian of the Year 2022, Dylan Alcott AO, is one of the countries most successful and well recognised Paralympians.
In 2021 he became the only male in any form of tennis to win the 'Golden Slam', winning the Australian, French, Wimbledon and US Open Championships, together with his gold medal from the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
At the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, Dylan Alcott became one of only a few athletes to win two gold medals in two different sports across two different Olympic or Paralympic Games. Dylan won yet another gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic games making him the greatest player in wheelchair tennis history.
At the age of 17, Dylan became the youngest ever wheelchair basketball gold medallist at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, and after gold at the 2010 World Championships, and silver at the London 2012 games, decided to switch sports to wheelchair tennis. In addition to his incredible successes at the Rio Olympics, Dylan Alcott has also won and incredible 15 grand slam singles titles to date, including his second consecutive French Open and Wimbledon titles and the last seven Australian Open titles.
Current Work:
Dylan's achievements are not only restricted to the sporting field. In 2017, Dylan created the Dylan Alcott Foundation, a foundation to help young people who are struggling to come to terms with their disabilities. The foundation aims to improve quality of life through mentoring, scholarships and grants which assists individuals to be involved in education and sport. Dylan is also an entrepreneur, and is the co- founder of Get Skilled Access, a training provider educating corporates and governments on how to better understand and treat customers with disabilities. He was also nominated for 2017 Young Australian of the Year.
Dylan is a keen philanthropist, and broke the world record playing wheelchair tennis for 24 consecutive hours non-stop, setting the new world record and raising an incredible $100,000 for two charities.
Dylan's true passion is his work as a motivational speaker, and through his inspirational storytelling, he is continually trying to alter and change the way people with disabilities are perceived in the wider community. He works as a keynote corporate speaker, bringing disability awareness to schools. He also works extensively in the Australian media landscape, regularly making appearances on Channel Ten's The Project and Channel 7 Sports, and is a former Triple J Radio host.
In 2018, Dylan published his autobiography, Able - Gold Medals, Grand Slams and Smashing Glass Ceilings. He is also the founder of Able Foods, a purpose-led business providing great quality food and opportunities for people with disability to lead healthier and happier lives.
In 2019 Dylan was the Australian Logies 2019 Graham Kennedy Most Popular New Talent Award winner and in 2020, won the Governor's Award Victorian Male Athlete of the Year - Frank Wilkes Award. And if that's not enough, Dylan Alcott was awarded 2022 Victoria Australian of the Year. Not bad!
Talking Points
Overcoming Extreme Adversity
Born with a tumour wrapped around his spinal cord and without the use of his legs, Dylan was able to beat the odds and achieve more than the doctors ever thought he would, thriving into one of Australia's most recognisable and successful Paralympians.
Overcoming Extreme Adversity
Becoming the Best Version of Yourself
Dylan is the epitome of making the most out of the situation you are given, and thrives on showing others the importance of focusing on the things that can control in order to live a full and incredible life.
Becoming the Best Version of Yourself
The Art of Taking Risks to Achieve Your Goals
Dylan is a firm believer in the idea that you have to buy a ticket to win the raffle, and tells stories of the importance of pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone in order to achieve your dreams.
The Art of Taking Risks to Achieve Your Goals
Disability Awareness and Education
One of Dylan's passions helping change the perceptions of people with a disability across the world, and is an advocate for the social inclusion, inclusion in the workplace for all people with disabilities, as well as breaking down the negative stigma associated with disability.
Disability Awareness and Education
Gold Medal Anecdotes from the World of Sport
From stories from the Olympic and Paralympic villages to the sacred halls of the Grand Slams of tennis, Dylan has seen it all.
Gold Medal Anecdotes from the World of Sport
Importance of Diversity and Leadership Representing the Disability Sector
Dylan is well educated on the significance of leadership amongst the disability sector.
Importance of Diversity and Leadership Representing the Disability Sector
Video
The Truth About Growing Up Disabled | Dylan Alcott | TEDxYouth@Sydney
Dylan Alcott wasn't always a Paralympic champion. He grew up disabled, but it might not be what you think. In this engaging and funny talk, Dylan tells us what it's really like growing up with a disability. Dylan Alcott OAM is a Paralympic gold medalist, World Champion, Grand Slam champion and world record holder for both wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis. In 2008, Dylan won Gold at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic games at the age of 17, the youngest ever winner of a wheelchair basketball gold medal. In 2013, Dylan switched sports to wheelchair tennis, and in 2015 won his first grand slam title at the Australian Open. Dylan was born with a large tumor wrapped around his spinal cord, leaving him a paraplegic. He is a keen advocate for people with disabilities, and is an ambassador for the charities Starlight Foundation and Variety which help change the lives of kids with disabilities across the country. Dylan is also a music enthusiast, and is well known for his wheelchair crowdsurfing at music festivals.Dylan Alcott on the secret to his success - both on and off the tennis court | One Plus One
Dylan Alcott has done it all. He's a six time Australian Open Champion, won gold in wheelchair basketball at the Paralympics, hosts a radio show, won a Logie, and even started his own music festival. He speaks to fellow Paralympian Kurt Fearnley about his passion for sport, where he gets his drive from, and why he wants to be a role model for kids with a disability.Dylan was and absolute professional, he was engaging and adapted to the online setting so well. ... keep reading RMIT University
Dylan was amazing. His presentation connected with the audience, it was raw, real and wonderfully motivational. Delegates were engaged as they were taken on his journey; they laughed and cried but overall they were inspired.
Dylan was a truly engaging speaker that held the audience's attention for every moment that he was on stage. His messaging and delivery was such that those of all ages and backgrounds could take something away from the life affirming messages he spoke about.
Dylan was a great drawcard for my event and delivered on his promise on the night. He is a passionate, inspirational and humorous speaker that easily connects with the audience. Dylan genuinely engaged with other members of the panel and was respectful to their viewpoints. Off stage, Dylan was a pleasure to deal with; he was professional, punctual and down to earth. I would highly recommend booking Dylan for any public engagement.
Dylan was amazing. He immediately engaged with the audience and took them on an entertaining and enlightening journey through his life experiences. Importantly, he was able to relate the key messages back to the audience which was mostly small business owners.
He is the best speaker on the circuit. Warm, funny, inspiring, clever.
Dylan Alcott was brilliant! His story telling skills engage the entire audience and he also engaged with the team members that joined us virtually. Dylan was able to keep the entire team engaged with his story, his humour and his ability to educate us all. He was definitely a stand out for our team event and we all left his session better informed and with a sense of being able to make a difference. We can't wait to have him back one day!?
Dylan Alcott's presentation was absolutely engaging, his story was powerful, filled with emotion and plenty of laughs. We've had such wonderful feedback from staff with some messages coming through to advise that its already supported an environment where staff feel confident to talk about their disability to their managers.
Dylan Alcott was as personable, funny, and inviting online as I'm sure he would be in person. He engaged our senior students continually throughout his presentation, which can be difficult when presenting virtually. He clearly loves what he does. ?
