A glance at Mikaela Shiffrin’s career, on and off the slopes, after the American skiing standout won gold in the slalom at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Wednesday:
World Cup debut at 15
Shiffrin’s racing career on the World Cup circuit started two days before her 16th birthday in March 2011 in the Czech Republic. Wearing bib No. 46 in a giant slalom, she finished outside the top 30, meaning she didn’t qualify for a second run.
Shiffrin’s first podium came in December 2011. Wearing bib No. 40, she was third behind ski greats Marlies Schild, a childhood idol, and Tina Maze.
The first of her 108 wins — and counting — came one year later in Are, Sweden, on Dec. 20, 2012.
World champion at 17
Shiffrin announced herself on a global stage by winning slalom gold at the 2013 world championships in Schladming, Austria, at age 17.
“Doing what I did on the hill today … just skiing, is like dancing or flying,” Shiffrin said. “There’s so many ways that I can describe it. But it just is, and it works for me.”
Olympic champion at 18
Shiffrin became the youngest Olympic slalom champion when she took a wire-to-wire victory at the 2014 Sochi Games.
“It’s going to be something that I chalk up as one of my favorite experiences for the rest of my life,” Shiffrin said. “But my life’s not over yet.”
A 2nd Olympic gold
Shiffrin added a second Olympic gold to her trophy cabinet when she won the giant slalom at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, plus a silver in combined.
“I don’t think it gets any easier, but I think she can take a deep breath and say, ‘The pressure’s off a little bit.’ Maybe,” said her father, Jeff Shiffrin.
Father’s death
Shiffrin’s father died six years ago this month, on Feb. 2, 2020, at age 65 in an accident at the family home in Colorado.
He was an anesthesiologist who leaned on his background in clinical science to help Mikaela develop original training and workout methods. He would often stay in the background at races with a camera around his neck and take pictures of his daughter.
Shiffrin flew home from Europe to begin a grieving process. After skipping several weeks of races and losing her lead in the overall standings, her scheduled return was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which ended the season.
A foundation to help young skiers was set up in her father’s name, the Jeff Shiffrin Athlete Resiliency Fund.
Beijing struggles
Shiffrin was expected to be the star of the 2022 Beijing Olympics with medal hopes in all five women’s events. What happened next was bewildering even to her.
Shiffrin skied out of the giant slalom and slalom within a few seconds of each run, did not truly contend for a medal in downhill and super-G, and failed to finish the slalom in Alpine combined. Including the team event, she went 0-for-6 in terms of medals.
Breaking Vonn’s and Stenmark’s records
In January 2023, Shiffrin won a giant slalom at the Kronplatz resort in Italy for her 83rd World Cup victory, breaking the record held by fellow U.S. racer Lindsey Vonn.
“I don’t think there are words to explain all the feelings,” Shiffrin said. “In the end of it, it’s like there’s too much excitement to feel. I don’t know if that makes sense. So it’s something you can’t explain. So I just try to breathe a bit and enjoy it.”
Two months later, Shiffrin notched win No. 87 to move past Ingemark Stenmark for the most World Cup wins by any skier, male or female.
Downhill crash in Cortina
Shiffrin had the biggest downhill crash of her career on the Cortina course in January 2024 when she hit the safety nets at high speed and was airlifted off the course by helicopter. She sprained the MCL and tibiofibular ligament in her left knee.
Engaged to fellow racer Kilde
In April 2024, Shiffrin and fellow skiing standout Aleksander Aamodt Kilde announced they were engaged. The couple has not announced a wedding date.
Deep puncture wound in Killington crash
In November 2024, Shiffrin suffered a deep puncture wound in her abdomen during a crash in a giant slalom in Killington, Vermont. Months later, she said she was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Mother’s cancer
Shortly before the Olympics, Shiffrin revealed why her mother and coach, Eileen Shiffrin, was absent at the start of this World Cup season. She was diagnosed with cancer and had six weeks of treatments.
Olympic triumph
On Wednesday, Shiffrin won the Olympic slalom by 1.50 seconds, ending her eight-year medal drought at the Winter Games and showing why she is widely regarded as the greatest Alpine skier of all time.
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