Perth para-athlete running for gold

Rhiannon Clarke had to be forced to go to her first come-and-try athletics day. She was sitting at home on the couch feeling resistant about going but her mum convinced her.

She headed to the oval and quickly realised there were other high school teens with disability taking part. She got on the track to have a go. Rhiannon started running. The event changed her life.

“I love running fast,” says Rhiannon, now a medal-winning Paralympian and para-athlete. “It’s that simple. Running fast feels different to every other sport I have ever done. Running to that finish line is like running on clouds.”

The Joondalup runner was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at a young age, a condition that affects coordination and muscle tone. She’s never let that limit her ambition.

Diagnosed at 10 months, Rhiannon was part of the baby Botox program and believes this early intervention helped her physical functioning skills and enabled her to be more active and eventually run. This included getting her feet flat on the floor and helping with balance.

“I always thought swimming was more a pathway for me,” says Rhiannon. “I also did horse riding. I was never good with ball sports and never thought about running.”

Rhiannon is set to chase Commonwealth Games history in Scotland, aiming to become a three-time medallist.

Since that first try day, the 23-year-old Australian sprinter has become a consistent force on the international stage and was recently named in the squad for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games next month. She’ll compete in the T38 100m and T38 200m sprint events.

T38 is the field classification for athletes with cerebral palsy or other neurological coordination impairments, such as ataxia or athetosis, who compete while standing. It is the mildest impairment class within the T35 – T38 range, meaning athletes have good balance with minimal coordination issues and can run and jump freely.

Rhiannon is set to chase a rare piece of Commonwealth Games history in Scotland, aiming to become a three-time medallist in the sprint after previously winning silver at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. She hopes to convert those medals into gold.

Rhiannon has also earned multiple medals at World Para Athletics Championships and represented Australia at two Paralympic Games – Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. In 2018 she was awarded the Pierre de Coubertin Award by the Australian Olympic Committee for commitment to school sport and Olympic values.

She declares the 100m her favourite event because it feels over and done fast: “You run it and for those precious seconds there’s this incredible freedom and a sense of flying.”

In her spare time Rhiannon volunteers at Landsdale Farm.

Her health, fitness and training team includes a physio, doctor, coach, dietician and psychologist.

“They all help make sure I manage my time and priorities. Sometimes training will come first over a social life and uni, but I definitely make time to enjoy myself.

“I spend time on my mental health and it’s important to have someone to talk to. I’ve learnt that having nerves shows that I care about what I’m doing. Yes, doubts can creep in, especially if you are not always running personal bests, but my goal is to always run well and give it my all.

“I was diagnosed with ADHD two years ago. I’m hyper-focussed on my sport but not the most organised person, so I’ve worked out systems to make my life easier.”

Off the track, Rhiannon balances sport with her degrees in zoology and wildlife conservation. She uses some of her spare time to volunteer at Landsdale Farm and laughingly suggests she might well like animals more than humans on some days.

Rhiannon’s journey has been supported in part through the Variety Heart Scholarship and in 2024 she was announced as a Variety ambassador. The program aims to help young Australians living with disability access the resources they need, from coaching and equipment to travel and training support.

This funding played a crucial role in Rhiannon’s early preparation for major competitions, including her first Paralympic campaign, easing financial barriers that disproportionately affect para-athletes.

Rhiannon has represented Australia at two Paralympic Games – Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.

The athlete, like many Paralympians, navigates the reality that commercial sponsorship and corporate backing for para sport often lag behind what’s available to Olympic athletes. Funding shortfalls can mean athletes carry significant personal costs to train, travel and compete on the world stage, making targeted scholarship support essential.

Committed to advocacy and community engagement, as a Variety ambassador, Rhiannon uses her platform to elevate visibility for athletes with disability and to inspire young people who may not yet see themselves represented in elite sport. She’s keen to use her story and experience to uncover and encourage the untapped potential of Australia’s para-athlete talent.

The 2026 Commonwealth Games happen in Glasgow from July 23-August 2.