Brighton will welcome home Team Canada racer and skeleton world champ Hallie Clarke this weekend.
“We’re excited to welcome Hallie Clarke home after her win at the 2024 Skeleton World Championships in Germany,” said the Municipality of Brighton on Facebook, while announcing “Hallie’s homecoming.”
In February, Clarke, of Brighton, made history as the youngest – and second woman ever – to win a skeleton world championship title in Winterberg, Germany, and at just 19 years old.
According to Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton – a non-profit organization and the national governing body for the sports of bobsleigh and skeleton in Canada – Clarke’s gold medal win and four-run time of 3:51.27 also made her the fifth Canadian ever to earn the world title.
“Hallie will be arriving by firetruck (at) the Brighton Public Library (this) weekend where she will be meeting residents, signing autographs and taking photos,” shared the municipality. “Be sure to join us to congratulate her on this incredible accomplishment.”
Clarke is set to arrive Saturday, March 9 at the library/municipal office (at 35 Alice St.) at 1 p.m. and will meet with residents until about 2 p.m.
Michelle Kelly is the only other Canadian woman to win a world-championship crown – this was 21 years ago at the 2003 premier event in non-Olympic year in Nagano, reported Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton.
Three Canadian men – Jeff Pain (2005), Duff Gibson (2004), and Ryan Davenport (1997) – have also won the world championship.
When talking about adding her name to this legendary list in a Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton release, Clarke stated: “It means everything to me to be on this list. It is such an honour to be in that group.
“You hear all of these names, and I’m reminded that is the goal. These are the people you are aspiring to become. One of my goals in this sport was always to be world champion, and it came a lot sooner than I thought.”
Last year, Clarke also won the 2023 Junior World Championships on the 1,330-metre Winterberg track. Before this, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton described a breakout season during the 2022 Olympic year, with Clarke finishing second overall on the Intercontinental Cup circuit.
Last year, she also competed for the United States – also her home for 13 years. In her inaugural world cup season, she earned two silver medals and a top-10 finish at the championships as the youngest athlete on tour before topping her season off with the U20 Junior World Championship title, reported Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton.
(Written by: Sarah Hyatt)
