Clay Stephens: Gymnast born with one pectoral muscle competes at Commonwealth Games

A gymnast has overcome six surgeries, three ACL injuries and a rare birth defect to become one of the faces of Australia’s Commonwealth Games team.

Clay Stephens, 25, was told from a young age he would never be able to compete in a range of upper body-focused sports including tennis, swimming and gymnastics after being diagnosed with Poland Syndrome.

The condition sees children born with missing or underdeveloped muscles on one side of the body – usually in the chest, shoulder, arm or hand. The Aussie only has one pectoral muscle, which significantly impacts his arm strength.

Undaunted by medical experts and his own impediment, Stephens pushed on and participated in every sport he could – before finding his passionate in the gym.

‘We didn’t know until I was three-years-old. I had a…