Dominick Cunningham: How I beat the bullies
Black Country gymnastics star Dominick Cunningham has revealed how he beat the playground bullies to become a Commonwealth and European gold medallist.
The 23-year-old, who used to train at Earls Gymnastics Club in Halesowen, is preparing for action at the World Championships in Doha, which start today. And he revealed his journey to the big stage was an arduous one.
“People would say ‘Where’s your ribbon’, ‘You’re gay’ or ask if I was going to ‘Do a ballerina dance’,” Cunningham told the BBC. “I wasn’t scared of any one person but I was always scared of what they’d say in front of other people.
“I was only about nine or 10 years old at the time and I didn’t want to go to school because people were calling me names because of what sport I did. I felt humiliated. I remember just coming home and crying about it.
“My mum didn’t know what was going on but when I told my parents they understood and said ‘You need to be strong’.”
He added: “All that rubbish in the past, it’s made me the person I am today.
“I’m a lot stronger now, number one in Europe – and I’m not stopping here either.”
