[1][2][3][4] In 2013 Clare suffered a cardiac arrest whilst swimming at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre and survived due to timely intervention by poolside medical assistance and CPR.

Her sister Emma also similarly suffered heart problems in the past which put an end to her professional triathlon career in 2004.

[7][8][9] Clare's first professional race was in 1994, when she took gold in the Juniors at the Wellington ITU Triathlon World Championships.

[10] She followed this up with a silver at the Gamagori ITU Triathlon World Cup in 1995, a 7th-place finish at the Sydney ITU World Cup and 10th place at Cancun, behind the winner Karen Smyers of the United States and Emma in 7th place.

She contested the 1997 ITU Duathlon World Championships in Guernica, coming 4th before transferring to compete for Great Britain.