The former footballer turned Winter Paralympics candidate is waiting out his isolation before heading to Lillehammer, Norway, for the World Para Snow Sports Championships.

It's the latest remarkable development in a remarkable few years. And it wouldn't be a 'Chook' adventure without a setback to take in his stride.

"It's a bit of a bugger. It was 6 o'clock New Year's Day when I returned a positive... I started isolating straight away. It hasn't been too bad," the triple-vaxxed Hanlon said, with only minor symptons for a day.

Hanlon will race in the 'technical' events of slalom and giant slalom (GS) in Lillehammer, just a couple of months after leaving Australia with a head full of hope, but mountains to climb to qualify.

First, a Europa Cup in Resterhoehe, Austria, where he came 11th in the first race and then a brilliant fifth, earning enough points for a wildcard onto the World Cup circuit, and the world championships team.

The St Moritz World Cup was another learning curve - a steep one for a skier who took up the sport only two-and-a-half years ago and has barely been on the slopes for two years due to COVID lockdowns and recovery from broken bones in his back.

"The only GS training I've had is in World Cup races, on a World Cup hill," Hanlon said.

"You can train all you want on an easy hill but you get thrown in on a hill like St Moritz where we raced for three days, you're going to get blown out of the water anyway.

"Might as well jump in the deep end."

He finished seventh overall at St Moritz in December before the Australian team headed to the Czech capital for a Christmas break.

His teammates are on their way to Norway, where he'll join them as soon as his isolation is up.

Hanlon joined The Daily Advertiser for a chat on zoom, sitting in his hotel room in an Australian team jumper, a signpost indicating how far he's come since June, 2018, when a serious illness almost took his life.

He lost both his lower legs and his right hand.

Now, he's a sit-skier of world class ability, taking on some of the best on the planet at a major event.

"I've just been rolling along the whole season. It hasn't been a big deal but thinking about it now, it's pretty crazy," he said.

"It'll be amazing. I just can't wait to get there, get some training in before it and smash some races out. Hopefully I can get close to the leaders, as close as I can anyway."

The World Para Snow Sports Championships is a major lead-in event to the Beijing Winter Paralympics.

Hanlon says the whole team is preparing for China in March. But there's been no Paralympic Games team announcement, or official confirmation yet of exactly who's going.

Right now, it's one major event at a time.

"I'd be real keen (on the Paralympics). But it's just about having a crack at the next one (the world championships), then we'll have another block of training and if the cards fall right we'll be on our way," he said.

Lillehammer for starters is exciting.

"Nearly all the Para sports other than sled hockey and curling will be there. Snowboard, Nordic skiing, alpine skiing... it should be pretty cool," he said.

"My goals are just working on the fundamentals and skiing as best I can without worrying about times and where I am compared to anyone too much... and not letting the hype and environment of a race affect how well you ski.

"Hopefully with a couple more years skiing in the future, I can be getting right up there towards the leaders."

Having qualified for slalom and giant slalom, Hanlon said the progression for athletes is to move into the speed disciplines as well, of Super G, super combined and downhill.

The World Para Snow Sports Championships run January 12 to January 23. Hanlon anticipates his races to be in the later stages.