Since she’s been a gymnast all her life, Claire Yates appreciates the value of physical fitness.
Claire Yates has been a gymnast almost her entire life and has had a passion for physical fitness.
“A lot of others cannot find that same passion for physical fitness, so for about 10 years I have tried to help others with that,” said Yates.
That’s why the current Miss Danville is hosting the Fitness for Fun Run 5K at Millennium Park in Danville. (Registration at https://runsignup.com/Race/KY/Danville/fitnessforfunrun)
“There’s going to be a lot of music, neon theme, T-shirts and awards so you can have a fun time while getting fit,” Yates said.
The Miss America Organization partnered with the American Heart Association and Yates will donate money raised from her 5K to the heart association.
“When I became Miss Danville the director (Reuben Harness) told me to write down three goals I would have throughout the year,” Yates said. “I have hosted a 5K here and there but this is the first one here in Danville.
“I am not a runner myself. I have done gymnastics since I was 2 years old. But you don’t have to be able to run. You can walk, jog, dance. I will probably be doing more behind the scenes stuff.”
Yates, 22, hopes to find a heart costume and be the race mascot to help entertain/support those who participate.
Yates is from Prospect and is a North Oldham High School graduate who became part of the Miss KentuckyTeen competition at age 12. She competed until she went to college at the University of Alabama but never gave up on her dream of being Miss Kentucky and competing for Miss America.
“I knew I wanted to wait until after college so I could fully represent Kentucky,” Yates said. “I entered the first preliminary of the season when I got back home, which was Miss Danville. I have had since August to prepare for the Miss Kentucky (pageant in June).”
She said pageant directors Harness and Angela Todd have been “spectacular” helping her with weekly calls, mock interviews, appearances and more to get her ready for the Miss Kentucky competition June 12-15 at the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center in Bowling Green.
She uses her gymnastics/tumbling background as her talent in the pageant competition.
“It’s called ‘Let’s Get Ready to Tumble’ and I have this huge mat I bring on stage because I have to be careful. I cannot do all the tricks on a hard floor and take a risk of being injured,” Yates said. “I have done this my whole life and figured I should keep doing it.”
Like most gymnasts, she’s had her share of injuries. The most serious by far was a broken back during her high school sophomore year.
“Part of it was probably just the time I was putting in. I was in the gym 25 hours per week and it was pretty strenuous,” she said. “I was out of the gym for about six months in physical therapy.”
North Oldham did not have a gymnastics team so she competed in USA Gymnastics and then joined a club team at Alabama where she was team president for two years. She’s still doing “adult” gymnastics now.
“I don’t know when I will stop because I truly do love it,” she said.
She also has a passion for journalism. She was a news media/communications major at Alabama who was an intern/social media coordinator for Bama Central and also wrote for Crimson White website. She wrote about gymnastics, football, soccer and more.
“I interviewed so many athletes,” she said. “After college I wanted to be a sportscaster or sportswriter but it was so hard to find anything. I had three or four internships in college and thought I was prepared and could get any job but it was a lot harder than I thought it would be to find a job.”
She does marketing and social media work for various companies now but would eventually like an opportunity to work in sports.
