Jodie Ounsley

Jodie Ounsley is an elite deaf athlete, broadcaster, and role model who has built a career defined by courage, performance, and visibility. Known to television audiences as ‘Fury’ in the BBC One reboot of Gladiators, Jodie has transitioned from international sport to prime time entertainment while continuing to champion inclusion and accessibility. Her journey from grassroots rugby to representing Great Britain on the world stage reflects relentless determination, resilience, and belief in her own ability, qualities that make her an exceptional and relatable motivational speaker.

Sport has been central to Jodie’s life from an early age. After joining the Sale Sharks Academy, she rapidly progressed to international competition, earning her first England Deaf Rugby cap before helping secure victory at the World Deaf Rugby Sevens Championship. Alongside rugby, she excelled in athletics, winning gold in the 100 metres at the European Deaf Athletics Championships and later representing Great Britain at the Deaflympics as a sprinter. Her impact within deaf sport was recognised with honours including Young Achiever of the Year from the National Deaf Children’s Society and the UK’s Young Deaf Sports Personality of the Year.

Jodie continued to push boundaries across disciplines, competing nationally in Brazilian jiu jitsu and making history as the first deaf female to play for a senior England rugby side while representing Exeter Chiefs Women in the Premier 15s. Her move into mainstream broadcasting marked another milestone, as her casting in Gladiators significantly increased visibility for deaf athletes within popular culture and inspired a new generation to see possibility rather than limitation.

As a keynote speaker, Jodie focuses on resilience in high performance environments, effective communication under pressure, and the power of representation. She speaks candidly about navigating elite sport as a profoundly deaf athlete and as a proud member and supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, highlighting the importance of visibility, allyship, and inclusive team cultures. Drawing from lived experience, she explores confidence, teamwork, and adaptability in environments that are not always designed to embrace difference. Organisations value her ability to connect personal insight with practical lessons on inclusion, mindset, and leadership. Jodie’s story demonstrates that success is not defined by circumstance but by determination, self belief, and the willingness to challenge expectations.