Not only did Kaycee Clark win season 37 of The Challenge with CT Tamburello, but she also got a relationship out of the show that has changed her life forever. Kaycee and Nany were very close friends before Spies, Lies & Allies, but with Kaycee broken up with her ex-girlfriend this season, they took things to the next level. “It’s on a whole other level,” Kaycee told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY. “You’re in this game and it’s literally a s***show, btu you have someone you can lean on and talk to that takes your mind off the game and all the stress. It means so much more. Of three seasons doing the challenge, this was the best one. I had someone that I cared about and to be able to go through such a unique experience with her was just amazing. We couldn’t wait to get out of the house and we moved in together and things are great. They’re awesome.”
Kaycee and Nany played the entire season as close allies, and made the final together after they were both able to avoid going into elimination. However, after day one of the final, they were on the losing team, and learned that they would have to go up against each other in one final elimination match. The moment was absolutely heartbreaking to watch, with both women breaking down in tears. Kaycee wound up beating Nany, and then teamed up with CT for the final leg to win.
“You cannot write that,” Kaycee laughed. “We had no idea we would wake up the second day of the final and have to go against each other. We couldn’t believe it. I was at a loss for words. We were the only two girls who stayed out of elimination all season, and then we ended up going against each other in the second day of the final. Our main goal was to cross the finish line at the end of this, and we really thought we were going to be there [together]. It was so emotional. I couldn’t even talk. She was crying, I was crying. I’ve played sports my entire life and I’ve never experienced going against someone who you care about and love. It was so weird.”
However, Kaycee was able to use the “curveball” as ammunition to push herself in the last leg of the race. “After me and Nany had to go against each other, I was angry. I was furious,” Kaycee admitted. “I was like, ‘There’s no ifs ands or buts about it — I’m going to finish this damn thing strong.’ I was just angry that that happened. So it lit a fire under my a**. I was just like…I have no choice but to get this done.”
Now, Kaycee has won both The Challenge and Big Brother, so she’s ready to add more to her list. “If they call me [for The Challenge], I love to compete, and I won’t turn a challenge down,” she confirmed. “But I’m like, what’s the next show I can win? Get me on Ninja Warrior or Survivor! I love competing and challenging myself. I do see myself doing some sort of competition in the future. I don’t know exactly where. If I get a call for The Challenge, cool, but I’d like to try something different and win something else. Nany and I want to do The Amazing Race. That would be cool. We’d do pretty good on The Amazing Race!”
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For winning The Challenge, Kaycee and CT won $1 million to split, but they were also given the option of sharing any amount of the money they wanted with the second and third places teams (Kyle Christie/Tori Deal and Devin Walker/Emy Alupei, respectively). They opted to keep $800,000 for themselves and give each of the other teams $100,000. For Kaycee, there was no hesitation about making the generous move. “It wouldn’t feel right for us to take it,” she admitted. “I know how it feels getting second and getting zero dollars, and last season, hurting myself and getting zero dollars. We had a good group of people and we all made it to the end together. So how do you not share it with everyone?”
This was only Kaycee’s third season on The Challenge, but it was also her third final. Unfortunately, during season 36, she was eliminated after day one of the race due to a brutal knee injury. After getting home, she had to have surgery on her leg, and then came onto season 37 just four and a half months later. “It was on my mind the entire time [this season],” Kaycee revealed. “There were some times where I was like, ‘Damn, I gotta be careful. I’m not 100 percent right now. I could easily re-injure myself. I have to be smart.’ But at the same time, I was trying not to focus on it too much where I psyched myself out. A lot of it was mental.”
During the last leg of the final, the players had to run down a rocky mountain, which is the same way that Kaycee injured herself last season. She admitted to having “some PTSD” during that part of the race, but was able to avoid getting hurt again. “Going into this season, my main priority was to rehab my knee,” she confirmed. “I iced it every morning. I had to. I didn’t want to waste my time and energy. I came back for a reason. So it was just awesome being able to win it and winning it with CT, the legend, meant everything!”