Rhiannon
Clarke

Nearly every time Rhiannon Clarke competes, she breaks a new record. Often, this is completely unintentional.

At just 18, Rhiannon does not realise just how good she is or how great she has the potential to become. In fact, she says she only found out that her sprint career had legs when the phone call came to say she had been selected to represent Australia at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

Although the opportunity to wear the Australian green and gold came far sooner than Rhiannon expected, there was no stopping her as she surged home in 13.17 seconds to take silver in the women’s 100m T38, with the host nation behind her.

As if a silver medal was not impressive enough, it took a Commonwealth Games record to beat Rhiannon, with the reigning Paralympic champion in the women’s 100m T38, Sophie Hahn (ENG), crossing the line in 12.46. Not only that, but Rhiannon was the youngest and least experienced athlete in the field, finishing ahead of Olivia Breen (WAL), her Australian teammates Ella Pardy and Erin Cleaver, and Katrina Hart (ENG).

Knowing she had what it took to go toe-to-toe with the best in the world, there was no stopping Rhiannon at last November’s 2019 World Para-athletics Championships. Together with her coach Danny Kevan, she all-but proved to Australian selectors that she is ready to take her Para-athletics career to the next level, with bronze medals in the women’s 100m T38 and women’s 200m T38.

Making her Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020 in the women’s 100m T38 event, Rhiannon finished second in her heat with a time of 13.10 seconds to qualify for the final. She crossed the line in a time of 13.08 seconds to finish in fifth.

Off the track, Rhiannon is quite the equestrian and enjoys vaulting in her spare time.