Annabelle Williams

I’m Annabelle. I’ve worn a number of different hats over the years: international speaker, Paralympic gold medalist, five-time world record holder, corporate lawyer at Allens Linklaters, sports broadcaster, stunt-double for Charlize Theron, and Mum to little Josie. My life has been full of excitement and I’ve cherished every moment; not just because I’ve accomplished what I’ve set out to do, but because I’ve always been grateful for the support I’ve had from those around me.

See, I was born without a left hand and forearm, but I haven’t let that affect my life—outside of the small things, like getting half-price manicures, which obviously awesome! In my twenties, I trained six days a week as captain of the Australian Paralympic swim team while simultaneously building a professional legal career, which included stints in Paris at the Australian Trade Commission and Washington D.C. as a representative for an NFL/NBA player agency. In 2012, my dream came true when I won a gold medal at the London Paralympics. Since then, I’ve continued with sports as a commentator, legal counsel for the Australian Olympic Committee, and Vice President of Paralympics Australia. I feel fortunate to have built a successful legal career, but also to have the opportunity to get married and discover what it means to be a Mum.

I’ve always found strength in my own determination, but at the same time, I feel my life has been so significantly shaped by the empathy and kindness of others. It’s hard to emphasise how important that is to me. It is such a simple thing, and yet, I would not have accomplished nearly as much without it.

In a larger way, I think finding the courage to be kind to others can sometimes be as daunting as the finding the courage for our own aspirations. It is something that I’ve always reflected on and threaded through my life as a part of my mission, my passion, and my inspiration to audiences around the world. There’s a lot more in store for each of us, and I hope that my story can help you find the strength you never knew you had.

Key Achievements

Paralympic Gold Medalist: Swimming, 2008 Beijing, 2012 London

International Motivational Speaker: United States, Europe, Australia and beyond

Medal of the Order of Australia: Awarded for service to sport

5x World Record Holder: Butterfly, Freestyle

Sports Commentator and TV Reporter: Olympics, Paralympics, Commonwealth Games, and Invictus Games

Accomplished Lawyer: with posts as an M&A Associate, In-House Counsel, Board Director, and more

Brand Ambassador: for multiple international organizations

Stunt Woman: for Charlize Theron in ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’