Already a skeleton world champion, Hallie Clarke's 'crazy journey' could lead to bigger things

The youngest skeleton world champion ever has already been through a lot.

Canada's Hallie Clarke, 20, has only been sliding for seven years. But in that time, she's represented Canada, switched allegiances to the U.S., returned back to the Maple Leaf alongside her longtime coach and won gold medals at both the junior and senior worlds.

Now, days ahead of her senior title defence in Lake Placid, N.Y., and less than a year away from her potential Olympic debut in Milan, Clarke struggles to contextualize her path.

"It's been a bit of a crazy journey so far," Clarke said. "And I think if I qualified for the Olympics, I don't know, it's a proud moment for me of like looking at what I accomplished, what I persevered through, all these different things to kind of come to that moment."

Clarke's follow-up season to her surprise gold medal has been solid, if unspectacular. She's earned three top-10 finishes in five World Cup events, and she's neither reached the podium nor placed outside the top 20.

But the consistency is by design as she and coach Joe Cecchini tinker to find the right mix and eliminate variables for the upcoming Olympic season.

"Expectations don't change," Cecchini said. "We're still developing and working towards Milan and even this world championships. We're adjusting our equipment, we're adjusting our approach so that we work better as a unit."

WATCH | Clarke becomes youngest female world champion:

The goal for Milan is to send a two-woman team of Clarke and veteran Jane Channell. Longtime slider Mirela Rahneva retired last off-season, while a cadre of young athletes — perhaps inspired by Clarke's rapid rise — are eyeing 2030.

"The team is really transformed. And then we're transitioning to try to position ourselves to being a world-leading organization, not so much for Milan, but for 2030 and moving forward," Cecchini said.

For now, the world championships should provide a good testing ground. Competition begins Thursday at 9 a.m. ET with live coverage throughout the event available on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.

Though Clarke still must qualify, the 2026 Games should mark her Olympic debut.

Clarke, who was born in Belleville, Ont., but grew up in various American cities with her family, was an alternate on the Canadian team for the 2022 Olympics yet never so much as made the trip to Beijing.

She then spent a year with the American squad after members of Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton came forward with accusations of a toxic environment created by "authoritarian" leadership."