Resilience - In and Out of the Swimming Pool
Sports icon MISSY FRANKLIN’s swimming career has been full of ups and downs. Franklin learned resilience against the natural turbulence of studying for a degree while competing as one of the world’s most elite athletes. She exercised that built-up grit when her shoulder pain grew stronger, forcing her into retirement after the Olympics. Today, she shares with audiences the tools of resilience transporting her to the top across her endeavors, before, during, and after her swimming career.
Balance & Identity: The Making of an Icon
World champion swimmer MISSY FRANKLIN presents an empowering keynote on how she made it all work: elite athletics, school, and family. Sharing her tips for creating balance and finding your identity among the noise, Franklin’s presentation is perfect for organizations seeking to empower, motivate, and uplift audiences.
Olympian Missy Franklin raises awareness for genetic diseases
Olympian, world record holder, and health advocate MISSY FRANKLIN’s father went through a live-donation kidney transplant after being diagnosed with ADPKD, a genetic kidney disease. Not only did he survive, but Franklin’s father also bounced back fast enough from surgery to induct Franklin into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. To support her father, Franklin is a public advocate for all families impacted by genetic diseases across news appearances, social media, and live fundraising events.
Watch Missy Franklin’s keynote acceptance for her Sportswoman of the Year Award >>
How Olympian Missy Franklin empowers women
Olympic swimmer and gold medalist MISSY FRANKLIN shared the vital lessons from her career to the Nashville Business Journal’s sold-out Women of Influence event. Inspiring a bright group of women in business, Franklin’s immersive storytelling was only rivaled by the applicable takeaways she shared about structuring her life around ever-shifting identities, finding a balance of the personal and professional. She told the crowd, “The first thing that [swimming] really taught me was the importance of balance. The second main thing it taught me about was identity.”
Swimmer Missy Franklin’s new podcast is full of life and laughter
World champion swimmer MISSY FRANKLIN teamed up with fellow Olympian Katie Hoff to share wisdom on their podcast, Unfiltered Waters. Diving into the untold stories of their lives, triumphs, and challenges, the two notable women showcase the unfiltered reality of life as an elite athlete. The two charming hosts describe their podcast as an opportunity to share “our passion for making an impact, and our mission to connect you with athletes on a deeper level.”
Watch Missy Franklin’s keynote acceptance for her Sportswoman of the Year Award >>
Swimmer Missy Franklin's book 'Relentless Spirit' reflects on the roles of gratitude, optimism and grit when weathering Olympian storms
MISSY FRANKLIN has been swimming competitively since the age of five, so it was a dream fulfilled when she won four gold medals and one bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, breaking a 40-year world record. Combined with her 11 FINA World Championship medals, Franklin is the most decorated female swimmer in a single championship. The grit it takes to be so victorious sustained Franklin when her shoulder pain became so great that she was forced to retire, and she began sharing her discipline of gratitude as a way to maintain her resilience and mental health. Franklin is an inspiring mentor to young athletes and dreamers of all types, and consistently earns praise for her down-to-earth style and approachability. Her book Relentless Spirit chronicles how her upbringing fostered her achievement and how we can support the next generation of dreamers.
Watch Missy Franklin’s keynote acceptance for her Sportswoman of the Year Award >>
Missy Franklin, who was raised in Centennial, Colorado began swimming competitively at the age of five and competed in her first international event at the age of 14. In 2011, she established herself as one of the top swimmers in the world when she won five medals – three of them gold – at the 2011 FINA World Championships in Shanghai.
At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Franklin won four gold medals and one bronze medal. Franklin’s performance in the 200-meter backstroke broke the world record in the event and also marked the first time that an American had won the event in 40 years.
She followed her Olympic success by winning six gold medals at the 2013 FINA World Championships in Barcelona, becoming the most decorated female swimmer in history at a single World Championships. In 2014, Touch the Wall, a documentary following her life and preparation for the Olympics, was released with two thumbs up from swimmers and non-swimmers alike.
A member of the U.S. National Team, Franklin competed at UC-Berkeley before turning professional. While there, she earned four individual NCAA titles and helped Cal win the 2015 NCAA Women’s Division I Swimming and Diving Team Championship. She was also awarded the 2015 Collegiate Woman of the Year and awarded the Honda Cup for her collegiate athletic achievements. Following the 2015 World Championships in Russia, Franklin owns more World Championship titles than any female swimmer in history.
Recognized for her bright smile and engaging personality, Franklin has been named “World Swimmer of the Year" and "American Swimmer of the Year" by Swimming World Magazine and earned the ESPY for Best Female Olympian in 2013 and Best Female College Athlete in 2015.
Franklin brought home another gold medal from the 2016 Rio Olympics for her performance in the 4 x 200 relay. After recently finishing her degree in psychology with a minor in education at The University of Georgia, she moved back to her beloved home state of CO. She currently resides in Denver with her husband, Hayes, and their Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, Ollie.
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