
Carol Cooke
3 x Gold Medal Paralympian
VIC, AUSTRALIA"Paralympian Carol Cooke AM PLY exemplifies grit, determination and passion in her pursuit of excellence, inspiring millions worldwide."
A sports fanatic, workaholic, former undercover police officer and Multiple Sclerosis/Disability advocate, Carol Cooke AM PLY is one of the most inspirational figures in Australian sport.
After being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and an Ovarian Cancer scare, Carol took up Para Sport and has become a 3 time Paralympian winning 3 gold and 1 silver medal. Even with all these challenges in life Carol decided to Take a Chance on Change, decided she was going to live her life the way she wanted. She found that she could Harness a FORCE within herself which helped her become that medal winning Paralympian and 9 x World Champion in the sport of Para Cycling.
Carol has gone on to write 2 books and speak not only on stages around Australia and the world including Merck Pharmaceutical Conference in Orlando, Westpac Banking Corporation, Happiness and it's Causes Conference - Sydney, AMP Roadshow and Shine Solutions Group, to name a few, but also on radio, television and podcasts about how to Harness your own FORCE.
Carol is an accomplished motivational speaker, sought-after for her inspiring talks that touch upon topics of determination, overcoming adversity, and leadership. As a Gold medal Paralympian and author, her stories focus on her own life-changing moments, providing audiences with the tools they need to overcome their own obstacles. Whether speaking to a corporate audience or a community group, Carol's energy and passion connect with her listeners, encouraging them to find their own strengths and reach for their goals. A true champion in sport and in life, Carol's message is one of hope and resilience, delivering powerful realizations that inspire and motivate all those who hear it.
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Carol's achievements and Awards
2022 World Championships 1 Silver medal in the Time Trial – 4th in the Road Race
2021 Tokyo Paralympics – 1 Silver Medal in the Time Trial – Para Cycling
2021 Retired from running the MS 24 Hour Mega Swim after raising over $11 million AUS for people with MS
2013/15/16/17/19 Australian Female Para Cyclist of the Year
2013/14/17/19 Dual World Champion – World Para Cycling Championships
2018 Victorian Female Para Cyclist of the Year
2017 Award of Excellence - Victorian Institute of Sport
2017 Masters Sportsperson of the Year - Vic Disability Sport and Recreation
2016 Female Sportspersons of the Year & Masters Sportsperson of the year - Vic Disability Sport and Recreation
2016 Rio Paralympics - 2 Gold Medals - Road Race and Time Trial - Para Cycling
2015 Victorian Finalist - Australian of the Year
2015 Gold and Silver-World Para Cycling Championships
2014 Order of Australia - A Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
2013/16 - Victorian Cyclist of the Year
2013 - Top Elite Athlete with a Disability - Victorian Institute of Sport
2012 Gold Medalist London Paralympics London Paralympics – Time Trial – Para Cycling
2011-17 Included in the Who’s Who of Australian Women
2011 Minister for Health Volunteer Awards – Commendation
2010 Included in the Who’s Who of Australian Women “hope & courage”
2009 John Studdy Award from MS Australia
2008 Included in the Inaugural Who’s Who in Victoria and the Who’s Who of Australian Women 2006 Victorian Masters Sportsperson of the Year
2006 Herald Sun Pride of Australia Awards Role Model Category
2003 The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International Named a Paul Harris Fellow
2001 Rotary International Shine on Award - Certificate of Commendation
2001 Founder of the MS 24 Hour Mega Swim
A sports fanatic, workaholic, former undercover police officer and Multiple Sclerosis/Disability advocate, Carol Cooke AM PLY is one of the most inspirational figures in Australian sport.
After being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and an Ovarian Cancer scare, Carol took up Para Sport and has become a 3 time Paralympian winning 3 gold and 1 silver medal. Even with all these challenges in life Carol decided to Take a Chance on Change, decided she was going to live her life the way she wanted. She found that she could Harness a FORCE within herself which helped her become that medal winning Paralympian and 9 x World Champion in the sport of Para Cycling.
Carol has gone on to write 2 books and speak not only on stages around Australia and the world including Merck Pharmaceutical Conference in Orlando, Westpac Banking Corporation, Happiness and it's Causes Conference - Sydney, AMP Roadshow and Shine Solutions Group, to name a few, but also on radio, television and podcasts about how to Harness your own FORCE.
Carol is an accomplished motivational speaker, sought-after for her inspiring talks that touch upon topics of determination, overcoming adversity, and leadership. As a Gold medal Paralympian and author, her stories focus on her own life-changing moments, providing audiences with the tools they need to overcome their own obstacles. Whether speaking to a corporate audience or a community group, Carol's energy and passion connect with her listeners, encouraging them to find their own strengths and reach for their goals. A true champion in sport and in life, Carol's message is one of hope and resilience, delivering powerful realizations that inspire and motivate all those who hear it.
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Carol's achievements and Awards
2022 World Championships 1 Silver medal in the Time Trial – 4th in the Road Race
2021 Tokyo Paralympics – 1 Silver Medal in the Time Trial – Para Cycling
2021 Retired from running the MS 24 Hour Mega Swim after raising over $11 million AUS for people with MS
2013/15/16/17/19 Australian Female Para Cyclist of the Year
2013/14/17/19 Dual World Champion – World Para Cycling Championships
2018 Victorian Female Para Cyclist of the Year
2017 Award of Excellence - Victorian Institute of Sport
2017 Masters Sportsperson of the Year - Vic Disability Sport and Recreation
2016 Female Sportspersons of the Year & Masters Sportsperson of the year - Vic Disability Sport and Recreation
2016 Rio Paralympics - 2 Gold Medals - Road Race and Time Trial - Para Cycling
2015 Victorian Finalist - Australian of the Year
2015 Gold and Silver-World Para Cycling Championships
2014 Order of Australia - A Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
2013/16 - Victorian Cyclist of the Year
2013 - Top Elite Athlete with a Disability - Victorian Institute of Sport
2012 Gold Medalist London Paralympics London Paralympics – Time Trial – Para Cycling
2011-17 Included in the Who’s Who of Australian Women
2011 Minister for Health Volunteer Awards – Commendation
2010 Included in the Who’s Who of Australian Women “hope & courage”
2009 John Studdy Award from MS Australia
2008 Included in the Inaugural Who’s Who in Victoria and the Who’s Who of Australian Women 2006 Victorian Masters Sportsperson of the Year
2006 Herald Sun Pride of Australia Awards Role Model Category
2003 The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International Named a Paul Harris Fellow
2001 Rotary International Shine on Award - Certificate of Commendation
2001 Founder of the MS 24 Hour Mega Swim
Take a Chance on Change
Format: Keynote
This program is perfect for:
- Clients or staff who are having a problem with change
- Students who are grappling with difficulties in moving forward
The audience will leave with:
- Having the Courage to take a Chance on Change
In this Keynote Carol touch's upon topics of determination and overcoming adversityto provide...
Harness Your Force
Format: 30/60/90 minute Keynote. Break out Room
This program is perfect for:
- Students
- Employees who need that extra boost to shift their mindset
- Company leaders who want to inspire their employees/clients
- Anyone who needs help to overcome Adversity and Change
- A person who needs to learn to shift their mindset to one of Positiveness
The audience will...
Successful Leadership using a High Performance Mindset
Format: 1/2 Day Workshop
This program is perfect for:
- Business leaders at any level, in any kind of organization.
- Emerging Leaders
The audience will leave with:
- Personal tools to help them enhance their mindset and become the powerful leaders they always longed to be.
- An understanding of what a high performance mindset really...

