Paint the Pro Pink: In Memory of Domestic Violence Victim and CrossFit Coach and Athlete Hannah Clarke
Four months after hitting the competition floor for the first time at the Torian Pro in 2019, Hannah Clarke, a CrossFit athlete, coach and affiliate owner, and her three children lost their lives in an act of domestic violence.
It’s been over three years since their tragic death, but Hannah’s memory lives on, largely thanks to Hannah’s parents, Lloyd and Sue Clarke.
- “We know we would have been forgiven if we went to ground following the incident, but we knew we had to do something to prevent this from happening to another family, ” shared the Clarkes.
- “So, in Hannah and the kids’ names, we started the Small Steps 4 Hannah Foundation,” explains the Clarkes.
“She (Hannah) was well-loved within the Brisbane arm of the (CrossFit) community (and) their ongoing support for the Foundation and Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) initiatives has been remarkable,” reflect the Clarkes.
- In memory of Hannah and her kids, Dave Kramer, her former teammate and a Small Steps 4 Hannah Ambassador, created a WOD named HANN, which was also adapted into a workout performed by athletes at the Torian Pro in 2021.
- In the same year, athletes, volunteers and spectators were also encouraged to wear pink in honor of Hannah, Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey on one of the three days of the Torian Pro.
- Now in 2023, the Paint the Pro Pink initiative has become embedded within the Torian Pro competition, and is scheduled to take place on day 2 of the Torian Pro on May 27th, 2023.
- “Paint the Pro Pink is a great initiative coming from the (CrossFit) community that is making significant strides towards breaking the silence that often clouds domestic violence by cultivating that safe space for people to confide in and support one another,” explains the Clarkes.
Other CrossFit-focused initiatives to commemorate the death of Hannah and her children and bring awareness to domestic violence include the 19 Days of Handstands campaign, which is also run by the Small Steps 4 Hannah Foundation.
Later this month, the podcast Hannah’s Story will be released as a 6-episode series. Whilst Hannah’s Story is a difficult story to hear, Lloyd and Sue Clarke believe that it’s an important story to share in the hope that it will save lives in the future, as they explain:
- “We want everyone to be able to spot the red flags in their partners, friends and even themselves, and we want everyone to speak up when they see those red flags.”
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