“The Variety Heart Scholarship is really important in giving young people the opportunity to realise their potential, realise what they can achieve and go after those goals.”

There was a time when Rhiannon Clarke never imagined elite sport could be part of her future. Today, she is a two-time Paralympian, Commonwealth Games medallist and one of Australia’s leading para-athletes – proof of what can happen when talent meets belief, opportunity and determination.

Growing up with cerebral palsy, Rhiannon did not always see sport as a place where she belonged. She remembers never being the fastest in class, often being chosen last for teams and rarely seeing people like herself represented in elite sport. For a long time, the Paralympics did not feel like a pathway that existed for someone like her.

That changed when Rhiannon discovered para-athletics through a “come and try” day, opening the door to a future she had never imagined. What followed was an extraordinary rise. At just 15 years old, she became the youngest athlete from any country to medal in para-sport at the Commonwealth Games, before going on to represent Australia on the world stage.

Today, Rhiannon competes in the 100m, 200m and 400m and has represented Australia at both the Tokyo and Paris Paralympic Games, breaking multiple Australian and Oceania records along the way. Following standout performances in Paris, where she narrowly missed the podium in Paralympic finals, Rhiannon has once again been selected to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games.

Behind the medals is a young woman deeply passionate about representation, confidence and helping others believe in what is possible.

Rhiannon’s connection with Variety began at a young age through the Variety Choir before later becoming a recipient of a Variety Heart Scholarship. At a pivotal moment in her sporting journey, during a period disrupted by injury and COVID, the scholarship helped her continue training, adapt to challenges and remain focused on her goals when the road ahead felt uncertain.

For Rhiannon, Variety represents more than support – it represents opportunity. The opportunity to believe in yourself, realise your potential and pursue goals that may once have felt out of reach.

As a Variety International Ambassador, Rhiannon hopes to inspire young people, particularly children living with disability, to see possibility rather than limitation and to believe that with the right support, extraordinary things are possible.