Wayne Derman is Professor of Sports and Exercise Medicine at the UCT Sport Science Institute of South Africa and is Co-Director of the Sports Medicine Services and Research Group, incorporating the FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence and IOC Research Centre for Injury Prevention and Health of the Athlete at the Institute.

He is a senior partner of Derman & Schwellnus Inc., the Sports Medicine Practice at the Sport Science Institute of South Africa. This practice provides specialist Sports Medical consulting services to the South African Rugby, Soccer, Cricket, Commonwealth & Olympic Teams as well as members of the public.

Professor Derman has played an important role in clinical support for South Africa’s athletes at International level. He fulfilled the positions of Chief Medical Officer for the South African Team to the Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 Olympic Games, and more recently, Medical Officer for the South African Paralympic Team to Beijing in 2008. In December to May 2002, he served as Flight Surgeon to Cosmonaught Mark Shuttleworth during the “First African in Space” mission in Russia and recently served as the Medical Officer for Cape Town for the FIFA 2010 World Cup.

Having diverse interests, he has been awarded many accolades in his career ranging from a Fellowship of the American College of Sports Medicine; the Val Schreire Award for the Outstanding Investigator in the Cardiovascular Field in Southern Africa; the Paul Harris award from Rotary International for community contribution; to a Mondi Award nomination for journalism. In December 2004, Professor Derman was named recipient of the Department of Health and Health Professionals Council award for Excellence in Health Care in South Africa. He is presently Specialist Sports Medical Editor of Men’s Health and is widely regarded as a popular entertaining and humorous educational and motivational speaker.

“The zone of total engagement”

Imagine the difference it will make to your life if you could achieve the same levels of performance in your endeavors as those achieved by Olympic and Paralympic athletes in their chosen sports. Dr Derman will share the latest scientific insights as well as the lessons learnt from work with International elite athletes, the most successful Paralympic team in South African history, cosmonaughts and business leaders.

“Secrets of the Alchemists”

A behind the scenes tour of what really happens at the Paralympic games.

The South African Paralympic team to the 2008 Beijing Games was arguably the most successful multicoded team to an International event, winning 21 gold, 3 silver and 6 bronze medals. Discover the secrets behind the success of this team and the individual strategies these remarkable athletes employ to overcome adversity and transcend to excellence at the highest level.

“Mark Shuttleworth’s Odyssey; a personal physicians’ front row seat”

This talk relives the medical and physiological challenges and hurdles Mark had to overcome to become the First African in Space. The extraordinary behind the scenes training for this mission is relived and the astonishing Russian space rituals are described. This talk provides insight into the Space Tourism industry and the personality who was awarded the South African Newsmaker of the Year award and has inspired a nation to reach for their dreams (visuals and video by Peter Ribton).

“Staying young whilst getting older - without Botox Prozac or Viagra”

Wayne is clearly a world class speaker of substance - brilliant and informative with deep knowledge, and the gift to make the audience to listen, to understand and to reflect.-. His relaxed yet polished style of presenting is mixed with a unique brand of humor. The content of his presentations are extremely well researched and include high quality visual aids. Wayne is clearly one of the most credible and outstanding speakers on the professional speaking circuit.

With “anti-ageing”,”preventative medicine” and “wellness” fast becoming key buzz words in personal health care and performance, Waynes’ talks provide both an entertaining and intellectual perspective aimed at encouraging the listener to evaluate their current state of health, wellbeing and performance from a holistic perspective.

How to achieve a balance that facilitates optimal performance in ones own life, to create and zone of total engagement within surrounding chaos, and unleash the athlete within.