Shiffrin and her golden nerves in the slalom: “I was afraid of it”

The 30-year-old American took second place Camille Rast 1.50 seconds off. Just like she did in the World Cup last time – in 7 out of 8 races. Especially on a slope that was said to have hardly any passages where you could gain a lead.

Had to defeat Mikaela Shiffrin but neither the slope nor the competition. But especially hers own head. She just has to show what she can do – if only it were that easy!

There was a fine line as to whether the most successful person in the Ski World Cup would allow herself to be drawn further into the (media) maelstrom that was following her disappointing games in Beijing as well as after the team combination and giant slalom here in Cortina said an Olympic curse.

Mikaela Shiffrin had to 2,918 days to her fourth Olympic medal wait. And twelve years after the first gold in the slalom in Sochi, Mikaela Shiffrin also became Olympic slalom champion in Cortina.

What hasn’t been written about him? Olympic cursewhich has been above the US star since 2022.

In the years after Beijing, Shiffrin reached milestone after milestone in the World Cup, made himself immortal with 108 World Cup victories, won World Cup gold in giant slalom in Courchevel 2023 and silver in both slalom and super-G. And won team gold with Breezy Johnson in Saalbach in 2025.

Overall, Shiffrin counts 5 large and 12 small crystal balls. She is now three-time Olympic championwar eight times world champion.

Nevertheless, there has been a lot in the past few days talked about failure become.

While Shiffrin and those around her emphasized several times that these judgments came from people who did not understand the extent of their profession.

The absent father

After her Olympic victory, Shiffrin tearfully explained what had been bothering her for years at the Olympic Games.

“I dreamed of this moment, but I was also afraid of it,” she says – and reminds of her father. Jeff Shiffrin died in 2020 at the age of 65 in a domestic accident. “When you lose someone you love, every experience you have afterwards is a new experience.”

It could be that she was reluctant to celebrate an Olympic victory without her father. “But today, for the first time, I was able to accept this reality. And instead of thinking to myself, I’m without him in this moment, I took a moment before the start to be with him.”

Belated cheers

After the second run, Shiffrin finished 1.5 seconds ahead of the competition. She didn’t cheer at first and collapsed. It took her a long time to put her arm in the air and cheer – then the tears came. “I needed this moment to feel it in my heart,” she says.

„I’m so gratefulthat we were able to show what we work on every day. We showed it, all together.”