World Class Paralympic Athlete

Don Elgin proves you don’t need a full kit of limbs to achieve great success. The Paralympic medallist and four time World Championship representative entered the world without the lower portion of his left leg. At just 18, equipped with an unshakeable determination and his firecracker personality, Don joined the Australian Paralympic team, notching up a lengthy and impressive catalogue of international achievements over almost two decades. An ambassador for sport and amputee’s, Don leverages his wellspring of energy and passion to motivate and inspire others worldwide.

They don’t come any livelier than the boy from the bush that took on the world. Entertaining, motivational and an all round larrikin he represented Australia at 4 World Championships and three Paralympic Games over 14 years, a triple Paralympic medalist from Athens 2004.

Don Elgin was raised in the NSW town of Tocumwal. Being born without the lower portion of his left leg was no barrier for this boy who would make his first Australian team at 18 years of age.

Gold Medal Champion

Don went to the 1994 World Championships in Berlin, where he won a gold medal as part of the 4x100m relay team. Following this event, Don’s focus moved from the sprint events to the Pentathlon.

The Pentathlon is made up of five events, long jump, shot put, 100m, discus and 400m. To be successful, an athlete must posses extraordinary discipline, focus and balance of strength and speed. Don made the 1996 Australian Paralympic team where he finished 4th in Atlanta.

One of the longest serving scholarship holders at the Victorian Institute of Sport Don competed in the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games where he won bronze in the Pentathlon. In pursuit of his ultimate goal of being number one in the World in the below knee amputee Pentathlon Don moved a step closer when he finished with a Silver medal at the 2002 IPC World Championships. 2004 Don became a triple Paralympic medallist with two Bronze, one in the Pentathlon and a Silver in Athens.

As a respected voice on sport both on and off the track Don commentated at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and appeared on Andrew Denton’s ABC TV show Enough Rope. He is a former board member of DASSI and a past vice President of The Amputee Association of Victoria. Don is the current patron for Limbs4Life and Disabilities Professionals Victoria.

Three weeks after Don lead the Australian team as the flag bearer at the 2006 World championships, he underwent knee surgery to ensure that he was fit and ready to help people all over the world find that winning edge.

Whether it is his driving in the celebrity Challenge at the Grand Prix or the book launch and speaking tour of China, his experience while in Dubai or America as a Key note speaker one thing is for sure when Don speaks you cant help but listen.

Presentation Topics Include

• Achieving against the odds.
  
• Amputee association.
  
• Paralympics.
  
• Preparation for success.
  
• The key to setting and attaining goals.
  
• Success strategies.
  
• The importance and power of a positive attitude.
  
• Managing expectation and overcoming adversity.
  
• Team building from the sports field to the boardroom.
  
• Embracing changes and building morale in the work place.
  
• Living a full and happy life.
  
• Appreciating team dynamics

Testimonials

Feedback from guests was the Don was great – very entertaining yet with a great message.
Gener8

This is the second time we have booked Don to MC our event. He is professional and a pleasure to work with and we have always received great feedback from both internal and external stakeholders.
WorkFocus Australia

I wish we’d had more time to have more of Don. He lifted the mood of the room as soon as he spoke, telling terrific, authentic, stories about his childhood. He challenged us all to redefine what we think of as “normal” and has inspired me to encourage “too many” people to get involved in driving a more inclusive community.
National Australia Bank

Don was great. He was just what we were looking for and his presentation was enjoyed by ALL in attendance at our team day. He is an inspirational person who has so much to offer. We look forward to his new book that is being released soon.
Khaled Jebara, Sydney Trains

“I have observed Don first hand on a number of occasions and I admire the way in which he can amuse, inspire and challenge his audience. I would have no hesitation in highly recommending Don for any speaking engagement." 
Athlete Services Manager, Victorian Institute of Sport

“Now you realise why Don is one of our team leaders, a bloody important part of our team" 
Head Coach, Australian Track and Field Team, Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games.

“Don is an exceptional and intelligent speaker who draws heavily on his own background and experience as a Paralympic champion to inspire and motivate." 
President, Australian Paralympic Committee

“I have heard many speakers, both professional and ‘hobbyists’ in the twenty-seven years I have been working. Don Elgin is one of only a few speakers who have left me with lasting impressions. Don’s presentation’s are of the highest standard in quantity and quality." 
Australia Post

“Don gives you the feeling that you can do it – get off your bum and get stuck in." 
Deakin University

“Fantastic presentation, something that all our students would have benefited from, not just the athletics team" 
Mentone Girls Grammar

“Don is a great communicator with a personable nature that really enthuses his audience. Don has always managed to be able to target his presentation exactly at the audience and get rave reviews, and subsequent bookings afterwards." 
Active Approach

“Don is a very entertaining and inspirational speaker who appeals to a wide audience. I have received excellent feedback from every speaking engagement that he has performed for us. He adapted his presentations very well depending on the situation and our requirements." 
Franklins Ltd

“Excellent. Don has a very endearing and approachable manner. He also managed to weave in our conference message into his talk. A very inspiring speaker." 
Beecham Pharmaceuticals

“Excellent. Wonderful speaker, extremely well received." 
hoo marketing

“Excellent. Most inspirational speaker, he made the night unforgettable." 
Marriot Foundation

“Don spoke very well and was very entertaining. He has a fantastic story and is a great inspiration and motivator." 
ESSO

“Excellent. Don Elgin was an excellent choice for our audience of 190 Building Professionals and partners. In tracing the last ten years Don showed that he had courage and determination to succeed. An excellent role model. Thanks Don for an excellent talk. 
Australian Institute of Building

“Don was an outstanding success. His bright, engaging personality, and natural sense of humour meant that staff could relate to him. Don is an ordinary person with an extraordinary story. Don is certainly entertaining, but more than that, he is positively inspirational." 
Australia Post 

“Excellent. Don was very personable, able and willing to deal with people from Director level to young trainees. His performance had the audience in raptures and offered a range of emotions from laughter to poignant comment. 
Melbourne East Group Training (MEGT)

“Everyone thought Don was fantastic, inspirational, and some people said that what he spoke about couldn’t have been put better. He was sensational and a pleasure to listen to.
He was rated as one of the ‘favourite’ presenters of the day.
Please pass on our thanks to him." 
The Investors Club®

“I thought Don was the perfect choice and I wasn't disappointed. He doesn't just inspire you for the hour he speaks, he leaves you with a lasting impression that I know will last a lifetime." 
Nillumbik Shire Council

“Don was engaging, honest and most of all down to earth in his approach and delivery. He certainly showed the audience what we are capable of and to the topic of leadership which is what we asked Don to reflect, he inspired our staff to show that if you do set your mind to it, you can achieve anything." 
Cummins Filtration

“Don was able to tailor the presentation to address the challenges of a Detective, this was very well received by the students. Very inspirational and highlighted that nothing is impossible. You meet every challenge head on and you will get success.”
Police Development Command

“Don Elgin recently spoke at our staff forum. Living up to the ‘motivational speaker’ tag is no easy thing, but Don delivers in spades. In the words of one staff member he was ‘awesome’! Don draws on his own experiences to convey important messages for life, as well as our work supporting people with disability. I cannot recommend him more highly.”
Chief Executive Officer, Melba Support Services

A HUGE thank you. There was such a buzz, after your talk, from everyone who attended. It was terrific and very inspiring. Still smiling at doors even on Monday morning! We really appreciate the time and effort you put in! Once again many thanks.
Lismore Community Health

We absolutely loved Don’s presentation, thank you. It couldn’t have been easier he turned up, introduced himself, set up and went through the room introducing himself. Participants reported that they really enjoyed the presentation and thought that he was excellent.Don’s story was uplifting and humorous, he had a refreshing knockabout style and was able to impart new wisdom on the topic of having a go in life. No question was too controversial for him to tackle and nothing fazed him. We enjoyed his session immensely.
Community Services & Disability

Don was so REAL. No fuss, no airs and graces just a down to earth good human being having a go and leaving a mark on this world.  I will walk through doors now with a different attitude thanks to Don sharing two of his seven top tips tonight.  What a great bloke with a great sense of humour and amazing outlook on life. If we could all just take a small portion of Don’s attitude to life the world would be a better and happier place.
Business Break – Horsham  Vic

Don I wanted to say that your presentation was absolutely fabulous – so much more than we had ever imagined. You were utterly inspiring uplifting and your sheer joy shone out. Thank you for a truly wonderful show.
Group Public Affairs Manager, HBF Health Limited – Perth WA

There aren’t enough adjectives in the world to describe Don but here are a few; wonderful, witty, superb, terrific, powerful, outstanding, funny, incredible, joyous and courageous. Don is a truly inspirational all-round great bloke and it was an absolute pleasure meeting him.
BMA Coal – Yeppoon Resort

Don was fantastic! He is entertaining, a great presenter and a very genuine happy positive person. Perfect for a motivational presentation for our Big Breakfast.
BCC Management

I have heard many speakers, both professional and ‘hobbyists’ in the twenty-seven years I have been working. Don Elgin is one of only a few speakers who have left me with lasting impressions. Don’s presentations are of the highest standard in quantity and quality.
Australia Post

I thought Don was the perfect choice and I wasn’t disappointed. He doesn’t just inspire you for the hour he speaks, he leaves you with a lasting impression that I know will last a lifetime.
Nillumbik Shire Council

Don was engaging, honest and most of all down to earth in his approach and delivery. He certainly showed the audience what we are capable of and to the topic of leadership which is what we asked Don to reflect, he inspired our staff to show that if you do set your mind to it, you can achieve anything.”.
Cummins Filtration

I thought that Don’s motivational speech was excellent and he is inspirational and quite easily inspires others.
BMA/Leadership Development/Yeppoon

Excellent. Don has a very endearing and approachable manner. He also managed to weave in our conference message into his talk. A very inspiring speaker.”
SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals

I have observed Don first hand on a number of occasions and I admire the way in which he can amuse, inspire and challenge his audience. I would have no hesitation in highly recommending Don for any speaking engagement.
Athlete Services Manager, Victorian Institute of Victoria

Don was very professional, and responded well to the brief provided.He had this audience absolutely captivated from the start to the end, he made us laugh but also made us look deep inside ourselves and reflect on our own so called challenges. As a room full of leaders I know we were all left inspired by Dons journey and I also know that many of us walked away putting what we believed were our own obstacles into perspective. To anyone thinking of engaging Don to speak to their team, business, school or social event I would highly recommend them to proceed with this. I have seen many great speakers in my career and I have always taken something away from each of them but I have taken the most away from Dons inspirational journey. A truly great person and inspirational leader, thanks very much Don…
BMA Coal

Don was everything his Bio said, entertaining, motivational and a lot of fun to listen too. He was inspirational in his delivery and truly understood the purpose of our curriculum day. His ability to make reference to his experiences and achievements whilst linking to the needs of the listeners was nothing less that extraordinary. Don is a true motivator! He inspires, motivates and encourages you to taste life again! Thanks for sharing your story, so we can make our story better. Continue to love life and the journey!
Lachlan Partners’ Retreat

“Don’s approach to life was an inspiration to not only myself but my whole team. The fact that Don gets excited by oxygen has inspired me to get excited by not only the big things that happen in my life but also the small speed humps that we all overcome on a daily basis as well! If only one person from the group was to take on board 10% of Don’s attitude then my business would be a better place!”
Whiteside Homes

“We had a room of 55 people who were captivated by Don’s story. He is a joy to listen to and is one of the most entertaining speaks to stand in front of a lectern. A fantastic yarn about a young man’s dream to be the best he can be.”
ManheimFowles Pty Ltd

“Now you realise why Don is one of our team leaders, such an important part of our team”
Head Coach, Australian Track and Field Team, Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games.

“Don is a great communicator with a personable nature that really enthuses his audience. Don has always managed to be able to target his presentation exactly at the audience and get rave reviews, and subsequent bookings afterwards.”
Active Approach

“Don spoke very well and was very entertaining. He has a fantastic story and is a great inspiration and motivator.”
ESSO

“Excellent. Don Elgin was an excellent choice for our audience of 190 Building Professionals and partners. In tracing the last ten years Don showed that he had courage and determination to succeed. An excellent role model. Thanks Don for an excellent talk.
Australian Institute of Building (Victoria)

“Excellent. Don was very personable, able and willing to deal with people from Director level to young trainees. His performance had the audience in raptures and offered a range of emotions from laughter to poignant comment.
Melbourne East Group Training (MEGT)

“Everyone thought Don was fantastic, inspirational, and some people said that what he spoke about couldn’t have been put better. He was sensational and a pleasure to listen to. 

He was rated as one of the ‘favourite’ presenters of the day. Please pass on our thanks to him.”
The Investors Club®​