In the latest of our KHS Lecture series events we were thrilled to welcome GB Olympian Kriss Akabusi MBE to the Hill.
Kriss is best known to many as a celebrated athlete who won three medals at the Olympic Games (silver at Los Angeles in 1984 – 4x400m relay), (two bronze at Barcelona in 1992 – 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay) as well as numerous other major medals including a gold at the 1990 European Championships (400m hurdles). He is perhaps best remembered for running the dramatic final leg alongside Roger Black, Derek Redmond and John Regis and bringing home gold in the 4x400m relay in the 1991 World Championship in Tokyo. Following the end of his time on the track Kriss has been a familiar face on TV and Radio and is also a hugely popular motivational speaker.
Kriss’ talk took us on a journey through his life from childhood, to his time in the Army and how he was able to harness his athletic ability to become one of the top performers in his field.
Along the way Kriss learned a number of important life lessons which he shared with the audience. He stressed his belief that ‘the past is for reference, not residence’ urging those present to learn from things that happen to them, but not to dwell on them and to always try to harness their experiences in order to move forward in a positive way.
He spoke of the influence that other people can have on our lives and the immeasurable impact they can make. He talked in particular about the Sergeant in the Army who first noticed his potential in athletics and helped to guide him in the early stages of his career and throughout the rest of his life.
He also talked about the importance of teamwork and how, even though on the surface there were many differences between him and his team mates, the different perspectives that people bring to situations can be transformative. He stressed how important it is for us to celebrate difference and be open to new ways of thinking in order to be the best we can be.
As his talk drew to a close Kriss spoke about legacy and how the life we lead and the lessons we learn, ultimately shape the contribution we make to the world. He ended his talk by sharing his favourite poem entitled ‘Dream Big’, summing up his message that we should all aspire to make each day count, stretch ourselves and work together with others to achieve great things.