Hamlin, a three-sport athlete at Remsen High School, took up the luge while in school, was competing internationally by 15, and made her first Olympic team at 19. She competed for 13 years on the World Cup tour, never missing a race, won six national championships, and collected two gold and two silver medals in World Championship competition. In 2014 she won a bronze medal at the Olympics in Sochi, becoming the first American luger to medal in singles and the first American women ever to medal. She capped her career with the honor of being the flag bearer for Team USA at the Pyeong Chang Olympics in 2018.