Alpine skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin, the sport’s most decorated athlete, announced on Wednesday that she plans to compete in three events at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina, Italy. This marks a significant shift from her participation in six events at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where she faced challenges, including three falls and no medals. Shiffrin, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, will concentrate on her strongest disciplines—slalom, giant slalom, and the team combined event—while stepping away from downhill and expressing uncertainty about super-G.
Shiffrin’s decision comes after a challenging 2024 season, marred by a traumatic crash in Killington, Vermont, last November. The incident, which resulted in a deep abdominal wound likely caused by a gate, left Shiffrin grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Although she returned to competition within two months, she described her performance in giant slalom as “still a work in progress” during a video call with journalists from Soelden, Austria, ahead of the season’s opening race. Her focus on recovery and mental preparation has led her to prioritize her strongest events, opting out of downhill entirely this season and remaining uncertain about super-G due to the demanding nature of the high-speed event.
“I’m feeling skeptical that I’ll be able to balance it all or even qualify for super-G,” Shiffrin said. “I’ve been to Games where I skied all the events, and it was exhausting for years afterward. It was a wonderful experience, but I wouldn’t do it again.”
At the 2026 Olympics, Shiffrin expects to compete in slalom, giant slalom, and the team combined event, where she will ski a slalom run alongside a teammate who handles the downhill portion. This strategic shift aligns with the strength of the U.S. women’s Alpine team, which boasts a deep roster of speed skiers. Among them are Lindsey Vonn, a 41-year-old legend who recently returned from retirement after a partial knee replacement and secured her 138th career World Cup podium last season; Lauren Macuga, a 23-year-old rising star who placed fourth in last season’s World Cup downhill standings; and Breezy Johnson, a 29-year-old who won two golds at the 2024 World Championships, including the team combined with Shiffrin.
Shiffrin’s streamlined approach has allowed her to hone her skills in her core events during offseason training, including trips to South America. Reflecting on her Olympic plans, she expressed enthusiasm for the team combined event, calling it “really incredible to dream about.” With two Olympic golds (slalom in 2014, giant slalom in 2018) and a silver in the individual combined in 2018, Shiffrin is poised to chase further success by focusing on quality over quantity in 2026.
As she prepares for the season opener in Soelden, Shiffrin remains optimistic about her refined strategy, aiming to leverage her strengths and the depth of the U.S. team to make a strong impact in Italy.
