“I boil chicken because I’m too scared I’ll get myself sick if I cook it any other way”

Harry Garside is a champion boxer who rose to prominence at the Tokyo Olympics after winning the men’s lightweight bronze medal – Australia’s first Olympic boxing medal in three decades.

But Harry’s life isn’t that of your normal boxer. Outside of the ring he is an entirely different man. Harry is punching down barriers and showing younger generations you should never back down from letting your own light shine.

Having grown up in the working-class town of Lilydale, Victoria, Harry was the youngest of three boys. He was a quirky kid who preferred spending time with his mum rather than roughhousing with his brothers, so it was a shock to everyone when the then nine-year-old decided he wanted to take up boxing. From that moment he was hooked.

Not only has Harry Garside generated headlines for his boxing career, but also for the way in which he aims to banish gender stereotypes and to be a role model for young men who want to be a little bit quirky. Harry isn’t afraid to step out into the limelight in a skirt, wearing nail polish or walking down the runway of a fashion show.

“There are a lot of people out there who feel like they have to be something because they’re male or female. I’m all about just being different.”

Instagram: @harry_garside