Penny Heyns
As the world’s greatest female breaststroker of the 20th century, Penny Heyns’s experiences have given her unparalleled insights into what it takes to get to the top, and more importantly, how to stay there. She shares with her audiences the lessons she learned, both while training internationally in the US and Canada and while competing at the forefront of international competition.
In 2006, Penny Heyns become an inaugural inductee into the South African ‘Sports Hall of Fame’. The following year, she became the first non-track and field female athlete to be inducted into the ‘Africa Sports Hall of Fame’. Also in 2007, she joined elite international icons such as Johnny Weissmuller – better known as the original Tarzan – and Mark Spitz, when she was inducted into the prestigious ‘International Swimming Hall of Fame’ in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
Penny returned to the Olympics in Tokyo 2020, in the capacity of Fina Athletes’ Committee Chairperson and Bureau Member. This marked the first time that Penny had set foot back on an Olympic pool deck since her retirement after the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
Mark Twain once said: “It takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” While even the most gifted presenter has to work at it, some are naturals at the lectern, with the ability to quickly capture the crowd’s attention and leave a lasting impression on every audience member. Penny is one such speaker.
