Kayla Harrison became the third U.S. player ever to win the Junior World Championships in 2008 after going undefeated to win the 78kg title in Bangkok. Harrison, who moved up from 63kg to 78kg in 2008, won the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Judo that year, but was unable to compete at the Games as Team USA had not qualified the division. In 2009, Harrison became the second U.S. athlete ever to compete in two Junior World finals where she won a silver medal.
Harrison made her mark on the senior international level in 2010 when she became the first U.S. woman to win a World Championship in 26 years, going undefeated in five matches to win gold. Ranked No. 1 in the world rankings, Harrison defeated No. 2 Audrey Tcheumeo of France by ippon in the women’s 78 kg. gold-medal bout at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Harrison is the first U.S. judoka to win back-to-back Olympic medals of any kind and just the second American to win two Olympic medals in judo (joining coach Jimmy Pedro, who won two bronzes).
Upon retiring from the Olympics, Harrison used her platform to start the Fearless Foundation, which sheds light on child sexual abuse and helps survivors through education and sport. Her company, KHE, Inc., has assumed control of organizing and operating the U.S. national championships for five years beginning in 2018. And although she has retired from Olympic competition, her fighting days are not over. Harrison has signed a contract to compete in mixed martial arts in the World Series of Fighting.
Videos
Speech Topics
Overcoming the challenges of sexual assault and depression
Related Speakers View all
![]() |
Aly Raisman
Olympic Gymnast, Gold Medalist, Captain of the "Fier...
|
![]() |
McKayla Maroney
Retired Gymnast, Olympic Gold Medalist
|
![]() |
Ronda Rousey
UFC Champion, Olympic Medalist, Actor & Author
|
![]() |
Heather O'Reilly
Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist; Midfielder, NWSL Nor...
|
![]() |
Shawn Johnson East
Olympic Gold Medalist in Gymnastics, "Dancing with t...
|
![]() |
Amanda Beard
Olympic Gold Medalist, Co-Founder of Beard Swim Co. ...
|
![]() |
John-Michael Lander
Founder of An Athlete’s Silence, Sexual Abuse Surviv...
|
![]() |
Shirley Robertson
History-Making British Olympian; Two-Time Sailing Go...
|
![]() |
Heather Richardson
American Speed Skater, Olympian, World Champion
|
![]() |
Kim Rhode
5-Time Olympic Medalist, The World's Best Shotgun Sh...
|
![]() |
Olga Korbut
Olga Valentinovna Korbut, also known as the "Sparrow...
|
![]() |
Dara Torres
12x Olympic Medalist, Hall of Famer, NY Times Best-S...
|
![]() |
Rose McGowan
Writer, Actor, Director, Entrepreneur and Whistle-Bl...
|
![]() |
Rebecca Soni
American Swimmer; Breaststroke Specialist & Five-Tim...
|
![]() |
Tonya Harding
Award-Winning Figure Skater; Two-Time Olympian and T...
|
![]() |
Jordyn Wieber
Gold Medal-Winning Artistic Gymnast for the U.S. Wom...
|
![]() |
Amy Purdy
Former "Dancing with the Stars" Contestant & Paralym...
|
![]() |
Kim Zmeskal
Gymnastics Coach; Retired Artistic Gymnast; National...
|
![]() |
Ashley Wagner
Figure Skater & 2013 U.S. National Champion
|
![]() |
Kerri Walsh Jennings
Three-Time Olympic Gold Medalist for Women's Beach V...
|