Trust AAE Speakers Bureau for Booking Top Professional Speakers. Find a Keynote Speaker Today.
Trust AAE Speakers Bureau for Booking Top Professional Speakers. Find a Keynote Speaker Today.
Dan O'Brien

Dan O'Brien

Keynote Speaker: Olympic Gold Medalist & Decathlon Champion

Dan O'Brien Biography

Millions of Americans proudly watched Dan O'Brien win the 1996 Olympic Gold Medal to become the first American winner in the sport since 1976. As an Olympic Gold Medalist in the decathlon, Dan O'Brien is officially considered the World's Greatest Athlete, and his name is synonymous with athletic achievement and success both on and off the field.

Adopted at the age of two, and raised in a home with seven other children of racially mixed backgrounds, Dan has overcome many adversities throughout his life. And with a great deal of self-determination and commitment, he has become one of the most successful and dominant athletes in the history of sports. He is an inspirational leader and motivational force for millions of people across the world.

At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Dan O'Brien overcame almost insurmountable odds. Four years prior, on Super Bowl Sunday early in 1992, Reebok introduced its unprecedented Dan & Dave campaign, a series of entertaining TV and print ads featuring Dan and rival Dave Johnson, debating who would take the title as the World's Greatest Athlete in Barcelona.

This publicity also provided for one of the most publicized failures in sports history when Dan no-heighted in the pole vault and failed to qualify for the 1992 Olympic team headed for Barcelona. All of Dan's hard work had come to an end -- or had it?

Dan O'Brien has spent his entire life overcoming obstacles. After encouragement from family, friends and coaches, he set new goals and began the journey that eventually established him as the most prolific decathlete in history. Only months after the failure to make the 1992 Olympic team, he set a new World Record at the Deca Star Invitational in Talence, France -- defeating the 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist Robert Zmelik. He didn't stop there. He went on to win the 1993 and 1995 World Championships, the 1994 Goodwill Games, and three US Championships -- all leading to the 1996 Olympic Gold Medal in Atlanta.

Today Dan continues to give back to the sport that has given so much to him. He is the on-field emcee for every major USA Track & Field event, and hes also heavily involved as both a host and celebrity athlete for USATF's Win With Integrity program, a community outreach and mentoring program designed to help kids make good life decisions, set positive goals and adhere to a drug-free lifestyle.

Dan also works very closely with the United States Olympic Committee as part of its Olympic Ambassador Program, mentoring current athletes in the areas of media training, preparation and peak performance. Dan can also be seen on teamusa.org, where he hosts a Web series called Can Dan Do It? In this series, Dan, with the help of a 2012 Olympic hopeful, attempts 28 different Olympic events to see if the Worlds Greatest Athlete, can, in fact, excel in any sport.

Dan has become a highly sought motivational speaker, bringing his inspirational story to the employees and leaders of some of the biggest companies in the world, and over the years he has worked as both a color commentator and guest analyst for networks such as ESPN, CBS and NBC. He was a part of Yahoo! Sports 2012 Olympic coverage from London.

Today Dan resides with his wife Leilani in Scottsdale, AZ, where he is entering his seventh year as an assistant volunteer coach at Arizona State University.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Dan O'Brien and other top speakers and celebrities.

Dan O'Brien Videos

Decathlon Olympic Gold Medalist Dan O'Brien - YouTube
Dan O'Brien - Olympic Gold Medal Decathlete on Intricate training
Dan O'Brien, 1996 Decathalon Olympic Gold Medalist

How do I book Dan O'Brien to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Dan O'Brien for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Dan O'Brien, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Dan O'Brien or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Dan O'Brien for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Dan O'Brien, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Dan O'Brien, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Dan O'Brien speak about?

Dan O'Brien is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Inspirational, Olympic Sports, Sports Motivation, Family & Parenting, Health, Diversity, College, Black Heritage, Sports and Athlete.

Where does Dan O'Brien travel from?

Dan O'Brien generally travels from Scottsdale, AZ, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Dan O'Brien?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Dan O'Brien for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Dan O'Brien for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Dan O'Brien or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Dan O'Brien is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Inspirational, Olympic Sports and Sports Motivation. The estimated speaking fee range to book Dan O'Brien for live events is $10,000 - $20,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Dan O'Brien generally travels from Scottsdale, AZ, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Rudy Ruettiger, Rocky Bleier and Josh Davis. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Dan O'Brien for an upcoming event.

Dan O'Brien Videos

Decathlon Olympic Gold Medalist Dan O'Brien - YouTube
Dan O'Brien - Olympic Gold Medal Decathlete on Intricate training
Dan O'Brien, 1996 Decathalon Olympic Gold Medalist

Dan O'Brien Reviews

  • Smith's Food and Drug Center Inc. - Mar 09 2023

Dan O'Brien News

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All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.