Gymnast and singer, Dominic Clarke is the M8 of June

Athletes are known for laser sharp focus, unbelievable dedication, unwavering drive and of course, sacrifice and hard, hard work. And in most cases, it takes years and years of all of the above to achieve greatness as a professional athlete, let alone compete at an Olympic level for your country!

And our M8 of June, Dominic Clarke is simply great. Having dedicated most of his young life to achieve his dream of representing his adopted country Australia at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Gymnastics, and it doesn’t stop there. Dominic has his sights set on the Paris 2024 Games and we have no doubt of that.

Athletic prowess and achievements aside, there’s a lot more to our Olympian than sporting accolades. Publicly coming out before the Tokyo Games, Dominic inadvertently became the poster boy for inclusivity in sports but it’s not something he takes lightly. He is a proud ambassador and works tirelessly in the LGBTQIA+ sporting community to create more inclusive and safer spaces for all. This young man has integrity in spades and we’re here for it!

But wait, there’s more, this legend can sing! And we mean siiiiiing, which he showcased to the nation on the latest The Voice Australia. So yeah, Dominic Clarke is a killer athlete, musician and humanitarian. Ok, ok, where do we sign up!

NAME: Dominic Clarke

AGE: 25

CURRENT POSITION: Olympic Gymnast

WHERE IS YOUR HOME TEAM: Born in Plymouth, England

WHO DO YOU PLAY FOR NOW: Sydney

WHAT’S YOUR GAME PLAN: I'm currently working towards getting a Cirque du Soleil contract, because doing gymnastics and performing has always been a dream of mine. But in the meantime I'm still working towards the Paris 2024 Olympics. After my results in Tokyo, a medal at the next games is in my sight. 

LIST 1 OR 2 ‘GOLD MEDAL’ MOMENTS IN YOUR LIFE: The Olympics would be one. Not only because I had been working toward that competition for the last 17 years of my career, but I was so happy that I found the joy in competing there, soaked up the whole experience and subsequently did really well. 

My other gold medal moment would be just before the Olympics, when I came out publicly. The impact that me being authentic at the  Olympics had on myself, the sporting community and the LGBT  community was  amazing, and I continue to do ambassador and advocacy work in my everyday life for the inclusive sporting community now. 

WHO ARE YOUR CHAMPIONS: My coach is one of the most resilient, dedicated and amazing people i know. They have coached me for 18 years now, put up with me and not only made me an incredible gymnast, but I credit them in making me the person I am today as well. 

IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT MAKES AN EVERYDAY CHAMPION: Someone  who is passionate about making genuine change in the world. Anything from advocacy work, to making art, to opening a door for someone, but all things big and small can be some to make the world a bit of a better place.   

WHAT’S YOUR MOTTO: Growing up as an athlete, my motto was always “hard work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard”. But now, I have some life balance and perspective, and I just live through “do what makes you happy”.