Britain's most successful Olympian of all time Sir Jason Kenny has been confirmed this month (June 2026) as a headline speaker for the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) annual conference in January 2027.
The highly decorated cyclist will speak about performance, resilience and success on the Monday of the event taking place at the Crowne Plaza, Stratford-upon-Avon, January 24–27, 2027.
Ben Harrison, GCA Chairman and Operations Director of Haskins Garden Centres, who is organising the conference alongside GCA CEO, Peter Burks, explains: “We’re absolutely delighted to announce Sir Jason Kenny as one of our headline speakers for 2027. His achievements place him among the greatest athletes of all time, but what makes his story so inspiring is the mindset, determination and resilience behind that success.
“Our conference is all about motivating and energising our members, and Sir Jason’s insights into high performance, teamwork and overcoming challenges will resonate strongly with everyone attending. We are confident he will be a truly memorable addition to what is shaping up to be an exceptional programme.”
Sir Jason’s illustrious Olympic career includes seven gold medals and two silvers, making him the most successful British Olympian in history. He first rose to prominence at the Beijing Olympics, winning gold in the team sprint and silver in the individual sprint, before going on to achieve double gold success in both events at London 2012.
He then made history at Rio 2016, securing a clean sweep of team sprint, individual sprint and keirin titles, taking his tally to six Olympic gold medals. At the delayed Tokyo Games, following the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, he claimed team sprint silver before producing one of the greatest performances of his career to win a seventh gold in the keirin with a stunning solo attack.
After retiring in February 2022, Sir Jason joined British Cycling as men’s podium sprint coach, where he now helps guide the next generation of cyclists towards Olympic success.
Peter Burks, GCA CEO, adds: “Welcoming someone of Sir Jason’s calibre to our conference is incredibly exciting. His journey from Olympic champion to coach reflects continuous growth, adaptability and a commitment to excellence – values that align strongly with our industry.
“Our conferences are designed to leave delegates feeling buoyant and ready to take on new opportunities, and Sir Jason’s story will undoubtedly deliver just that. We look forward to sharing more details about the full speaker line-up, which includes two more high profile presenters, in the coming weeks as we build towards what promises to be a fantastic event.”
Tickets for the 2027 GCA Conference will officially go on sale at 8am on June 22, 2026, via the members’ section of the GCA website. An early bird 10% off discount will also be available for those booking before the end of July.
The GCA’s annual conference regularly attracts hundreds of members from across the UK, offering opportunities to hear from leading speakers, gain industry insight and network with peers.
The leading industry body represents more than 200 garden centres nationwide and, through sharing information and its inspection programme, helps members achieve high standards in customer service, plant quality and reliability.
For further information, please visit www.gca.org.uk.
