Claire Michel, who started her sport career at twelve, started competing in cross-country running, a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass, at 14.
Michel started her sport career at 12 years, after reading about her mother competing in the Montreal Olympics, representing her high-school in swimming competitions. At 14, she also started competing in cross-country running and track and field, immediately becoming one of the top junior athletes in Oregon in both endeavors. Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. 
