Matt Clarke reveals story behind tattoo on ribs

Among Clarke’s most-cherished achievements is qualifying for the world athletics championships in Budapest, where he’ll contest the heats of the men’s 3000-metre steeplechase on Saturday night.

The most-special breakthrough of his career yet saw him compete at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, while he also became a national 3000-metre steeplechase champion last year.

“At the time it was absolutely meaningless to me … but I guess since I’ve had a few breakout years on the track it means a little bit more now,” Clarke said of the tattoo on his ribs in a chat with Wide World of Sports.

“I got it at Schoolies and came back and showed Mum and she couldn’t believe it was real. I was getting ready for the Red and Black Ball (at Xavier College) and she was trying to rub it off. She was like, ‘It can’t be real!’.

“I was sitting around with a couple of mates and they were just like, ‘You should go and get a tattoo, mate’. And I was like, ‘Do you have $50?’. And they were like, ‘Nah’. And I was like, ‘You paying for it?’. They were like, ‘Nah’. I was like, ‘I’ll go and get one’.

“It goes to show how much of a rubber arm I have,” he added with a laugh.

Clarke didn’t take up running until a couple of years after finishing school, and when he did he only wanted to break four minutes for 1500 metres.

“At the time when I got it, the tattoo meant nothing … but I never really thought I’d achieve what I have in running,” Clarke said.

“I was achieving all these goals that I just thought were for absolute gods of humans … It’s really opened my eyes, too, to redefining what I can achieve.

“I take a lot of that mindset into my personal life and my work life. It really pushes me to be a better person. So my whole lifestyle embodies that quote on my ribs now because of my running, and it extends to outside my running, too.”

If you tune in to watch Clarke at the world championships, you’ll see an unmissable piece of art on his right quadricep, depicting two leopards.

He has a host of other tattoos, too: his star sign, a star and planet, mountains, a sunset and the Schoolies-inspired quote on his ribs.

Reflecting on the season he’s had, he admitted to being “anxious” in his bid to reach the world championships because of a series of underwhelming races.

But he’s since put together some strong training and says he’s “really pumped” for his world championships debut.

His main goal is to reach the final, but he would also love to nail a Paris 2024 qualifier, which requires meeting the 8:15.00 entry standard.

“I was a bit nervous early because it was a rocky start of the trip. I was a bit anxious initially and thinking, ‘I hope I pull it together on the world stage’,” Clarke said.

“But recently because I’ve been having some really good sessions I’m actually really keen to get after it and turn my season around and race the best in the world on the biggest stage.”