Diana Nyad

World Recording-Breaking Athlete, First Person to Swim from Cuba to Florida, Master Storyteller, Sports Journalist

Topics: Inspirational & Motivational, Storytelling, Adventurers, Sports, Attitude, Elite Performance, Empowerment, Resilience, Success, Teamwork, TED Speakers, Women Leaders, Innovation, Media

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Biography

Twenty-five million people worldwide rooted for Diana Nyad as she reached the Florida shore, at long last achieving her 35-year-old quest of becoming the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida.

Speaking the words “Never Ever Give Up” to the wildly cheering crowd on a Key West beach on September 2, 2013, Diana demonstrated to the world the power of the human spirit.

Diana’s amazing record: 110.86 miles in 52 hours, 54 minutes, 18 seconds.

A prominent sports journalist, filing over thirty years for National Public Radio, The New York Times, and others, Diana has earned her place as one of our compelling storytellers. Her memoir, Find a Way, has earned worldwide praise. Her groundbreaking OpEd piece on her childhood sexual abuse for The New York Times drew a passionate response from around the world.

Also a uniquely entertaining and inspiring public speaker, Diana has now fulfilled another lifelong dream, bringing her performance of her play “The Swimmer” to the storied off-Broadway Minetta Lane Theater. The show played to sold-out crowds in September 2019.

Diana’s best friend and Cuba Swim expedition leader Bonnie Stoll have further collaborated with their nationwide walking initiative EverWalk, sparking America to become a nation of walkers.

And EverWalk in turn has recently launched yet another initiative, OceansCommit, hosting walks along our shorelines, asking individuals and businesses to reduce single-use plastic.

Diana has been inducted into the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame, the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, among other Halls of Fame, and awards of distinction.

President Obama invited Diana to congratulate her in the Oval Office and then asked her to accompany him on his peace visit to Havana in 2014. Oprah Winfrey chose Diana’s interview for her SuperSoul Sunday broadcast to be the first to extend to two hours.

Diana has written four books and speaks three foreign languages fluently.

And now Nyad is slated for 2022 release as a feature film, the inimitable Annette Bening signed to play Diana.

Videos

Speech TopicsExpand each topic to learn more

Never, Ever Give Up

Learn what it takes to “Find A Way” to fuel your hopes and dreams, no matter your age.

What Swimming 110 Miles in Shark-Infested Waters Taught Me About Teamwork

At the age of 64, Diana Nyad emerged onto the sands of Key West after swimming from Cuba to Florida in an epic feat of both endurance and human will.

From the dedicated crew who navigated the waters to the expert nutritionists who fueled her body to the motivational coaches who kept her spirits high, Diana credits her success to the unwavering synergy of her team.

In this conversation, Diana shares powerful examples of teamwork from her years-long pursuit of this goal while also discussing how to assemble a high-performance team and how to face challenges with a resilient mindset.

Testimonials

I went through a roller coaster of emotions listening to her speak. In my opinion, she is the most inspirational speaker I've ever listened to. As we all know there are 2 parts to a speech: content and delivery. She nailed both!

– Audience Member

Diana was amazing! We had 1,360+ people in attendance, and when Diana was speaking, you could have heard a pin drop. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give her a 10.

– Audience Member

She was FANTASTIC! Energetic, authentic, inspirational, entertaining and completely down-to-earth. She was the only person to bring me to tears at an event.

– Audience Member

I do not think that I can excuse myself from a challenge without ensuring I give it my all, thanks to Diana's powerful message.

– Audience Member

Diana was dynamite! She had everyone enraptured by every word she spoke. I had attendees telling me after her speech that she moved them to tears. She is a phenomenal inspirational speaker!

– Audience Member