Joe Appiah MBE is a four time World Record holder, multiple World, European and British Masters Athletics champion, and one of the most respected figures in Masters sport today.
Awarded an MBE in the 2026 New Year Honours List for services to Sport, Public Health and Public Service, Joe’s journey is a powerful story of perseverance, resilience and determination.
Born in Ghana, Joe moved to London shortly before his 15th birthday full of excitement and ambition. However, his early years in the UK brought significant challenges, including bullying, limited opportunities and more than 100 unsuccessful job applications before securing work as a messenger and later building a successful career within the Civil Service.
Although sport would eventually transform his life, athletics was not Joe’s first passion. He played semi professional football and enjoyed a wide range of sports including volleyball, basketball and table tennis before discovering athletics by chance in his mid twenties. After impressing colleagues with his speed during a workplace football match, he was invited to compete in a relay race, sparking a passion that would lead to an extraordinary sporting career.
Joe’s rise to the top was far from straightforward. It took almost a decade for him to realise his athletic potential, and along the way he overcame serious injuries and later prostate cancer. Diagnosed in 2021, Joe returned to competition just one year later and broke a World Masters Athletics record in 2022. Since then, he has become a passionate advocate for prostate cancer awareness, using his platform to encourage others to prioritise their health and seek early diagnosis.
Today, Joe holds four World Records in sprint hurdles, both indoors and outdoors. His career is a remarkable example of someone who entered athletics later in life, mastered multiple disciplines and became one of the world’s most dominant Masters hurdlers despite significant setbacks.
Alongside his achievements on the track, Joe has dedicated more than 30 years to supporting and developing young people. Through coaching, mentoring, club leadership, officiating, football management and inspirational speaking, he has helped countless individuals build confidence, pursue their ambitions and overcome challenges.
Joe’s inspiring talks encourage audiences to embrace resilience, seize opportunities and never allow setbacks to define their future. Drawing on his experiences in sport, public service and health advocacy, he delivers powerful messages about determination, wellbeing, diversity and achieving success against the odds.
Joe Appiah MBE’s remarkable journey is a powerful lesson in perseverance. From moving to the UK as a teenager and facing bullying, rejection and limited opportunities, to overcoming serious injury and prostate cancer, Joe has continually refused to let setbacks define him. In this inspiring talk, he shares the mindset, determination and resilience that helped him achieve success both on and off the track. Audiences will leave with practical strategies for overcoming challenges, adapting to change and staying focused when life does not go to plan.
World records, championship titles and an MBE did not happen by chance. Joe Appiah MBE’s achievements are the result of clear goals, consistent effort and a commitment to continuous improvement. In this engaging session, Joe explores the importance of setting ambitious but achievable goals, maintaining motivation and embracing the journey towards success. Audiences will learn how to develop a winning mindset, overcome obstacles and turn aspirations into reality, whatever their starting point.
Having moved from Ghana to the UK as a young teenager, Joe Appiah MBE understands the challenges that can come with feeling different or excluded. Through his experiences in sport, public service and community leadership, Joe demonstrates how diversity strengthens teams, organisations and communities. This thought provoking talk explores the value of inclusion, the importance of creating environments where everyone feels they belong, and how embracing different perspectives can lead to greater success for all.
Throughout his career, Joe Appiah MBE has worn many hats, including athlete, coach, club captain, mentor, official and football manager. Drawing on decades of experience, he shares valuable lessons about effective leadership, building strong teams and supporting others to achieve their potential. Audiences will discover the qualities that make great leaders, the importance of trust and collaboration, and how mentoring can have a lasting impact on individuals and communities.
Joe Appiah MBE knows first hand how confidence can transform lives. Sport provided him with the opportunity to discover his strengths, develop self belief and pursue goals he never thought possible. In this uplifting and motivational talk, Joe shares how confidence is built through action, perseverance and learning from setbacks. Audiences will gain practical tools to develop greater self belief, step outside their comfort zones and unlock their own potential both in education and in life.
