Clara Hughes

Connection fuels Clara Hughes. Whether on the Olympic stage, hiking long-distance trails around the world, within the stillness on the healing path, or speaking in front of thousands of people, deep connection with place, space, self, and others is her ultimate focus. In her intimate keynotes, Hughes explores the power of movement to change lives. She candidly shares her experience living with depression to inspire audiences to face their fears, find their voice, and become the champions they’re meant to be. Hughes is the only athlete in Olympic history to win multiple medals in both summer and winter Games, representing Canada in both speed skating and cycling. In addition, she served as Team Canada’s flag-bearer at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. As the founding spokesperson for Bell Let’s Talk, a campaign designed to end the stigma attached to mental illness, Hughes helped jumpstart the conversation on mental health in Canada. She believes in the power of story to enact change and that each person has one to share. The opportunity to share her own has taught her how to listen deeply to others. Allowing another to be seen, heard, and believed is a powerful space she brings to every event. This connection has been made countless times after her poignant talks. Over the course of her distinguished career, Hughes has won countless awards and accolades. She was awarded the International Olympic Committee’s Sport and Community Trophy, honoured with a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame, inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, and named a member of the Order of Manitoba and an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2022, she was named an Olympian for Life in recognition of her making the world a better place by promoting the Olympic Values at every stage of her life. In her effort to lead a life in motion, Hughes has completed the “Triple Crown” of long-distance hiking — the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, and the Appalachian Trail — and continues to this day, to find deep meaning in outdoor adventure pursuits. Hughes shares her powerful story in her bestselling memoir, Open Heart, Open Mind, and in her most recent memoir, Learning To Breathe, she shares her experience navigating midlife showing that transformation is possible in every season of life. OPEN HEART OPEN MIND From one of Canada’s most decorated Olympians comes a raw but life-affirming story of one woman’s struggle with depression. In 2006, when Clara Hughes stepped onto the Olympic podium in Torino, Italy, she became the first and only athlete ever to win multiple medals in both Summer and Winter Games. Four years later, she was proud to carry the Canadian flag for Team Canada in the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. But there’s another story behind her celebrated career as an athlete, behind her signature smile. After her first Olympics in the grueling world of competitive endurance sport that stripped away her confidence and bruised her body, Hughes began to realize that her physical extremes, her emotional setbacks, and her partying habits were masking a severe depression. The relentless pursuit of excellence in sport was put on hold in order to heal. When she did eventually return to competition, the healing path became an integral part of her athletic success. After winning bronze in the last speed skating race of her career, she decided to retire, and has since emerged as one of our most committed humanitarians, advocating for a variety of social causes both in Canada and around the world. Told with honesty and passion, “Open Heart, Open Mind” is Hughes’ personal journey through physical and mental pain to a life where love and understanding can thrive. Throughout it all, connection was the ultimate reward. Whether on the Olympic stage, hiking long-distance trails around the world, or within the stillness on the healing path, deep connection with place, space, self, and others is her ultimate focus. Her revelatory and inspiring story will touch the hearts of all Canadians.