For Mikaela Shiffrin, the pursuit of greatness continues to evolve. While once the focus was on breaking the World Cup win record, now as the alpine season kicks off in Austria, the chatter surrounds her approach to 100 career victories—a milestone scarcely imaginable before she began accumulating wins and accolades so relentlessly.
With 97 wins already under her belt, Shiffrin’s career is decorated with three Olympic medals (including two golds), five overall titles, 11 discipline titles, and 14 World Championship medals. At 29, Shiffrin navigates a different realm of expectations. This season, she will compete in slalom, giant slalom, and super-G, choosing to set downhill aside temporarily. Yet, questions about her choices remain inevitable.
Shiffrin has been racing since her mid-teens, but the notion of nearing the end of her career seems unfathomable. She understands the physical demands needed to chase the overall season title while also preparing for key competitions like the Alpine World Championships in Austria or the upcoming Olympics in Italy. The expectation is for her to not just participate but to dominate.
“It’s never obvious, it’s never easy,” says Shiffrin, who recently had a moment of realization at the Paris Olympics. Observing Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s family anxiously watching her race highlighted the unpredictable nature of competition—a reality Shiffrin knows all too well.
Despite a physically and mentally taxing off-season filled with training, sponsor duties, and philanthropy, Shiffrin finds peace as she returns to the adrenaline-fueled life on the slopes. After recovering from a six-week injury hiatus last season, she remains doubtful at times, worried whether she can replicate past performances. Nevertheless, working with her mother and coach, Eileen, she crafted an off-season plan to ensure she feels well-prepared for the challenges ahead.
This weekend in Soelden marks the beginning of yet another chapter, where Shiffrin seeks both triumph and tranquility in a discipline demanding endless courage and resilience. Every day, she pushes her boundaries, finding solace in the sport she loves as she aims for new heights.
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