In Episode 7 of our From Clean to Gold: Glasgow 2026 podcast series, 4-time Commonwealth Games athlete Kyle Vander-Kuyp OLY joins us for a powerful conversation about sport, identity and belonging.

A proud Worimi and Yuin man, Kyle reflects on his journey from a young hurdler representing Australia on the world stage to his current role as Cultural Advisor for Commonwealth Games Australia and member of the Connection and Belonging team for Glasgow 2026.

In this episode, Kyle shares the experiences that shaped him as an athlete, the importance of being proud of who you are, and why creating culturally safe sporting environments matters. He also discusses how First Nations culture is being embedded into the Australian team experience, from storytelling and cultural connection through to the visible celebration of the world's oldest living culture on the global sporting stage.

This is a yarn about much more than medals. It's about connection, respect, representation and ensuring every athlete feels they belong when they wear the green and gold.

https://commonwealthgames.com.au/

https://www.sportintegrity.gov.au/