Mikaela Shiffrin, the most decorated alpine skier in history, has revealed she seriously questioned whether she would ever compete again in giant slalom following a frightening crash in November 2024 — as she gears up for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina next month.
In an exclusive interview, the two-time Olympic gold medalist described how the injury — a deep abdominal puncture wound just millimeters from her colon — not only tested her physically but also raised doubts about retaining her elite status in the discipline.
“I was on the edge of losing my World Cup standings in giant slalom,” Shiffrin shared. “The big question was: Could I reach a high enough level to earn the points needed to keep them? If not, that could have meant the end of my giant slalom career. I wasn’t sure I had it in me to climb back from that point again.”
The crash occurred during a Women’s World Cup giant slalom race in Killington, Vermont, forcing Shiffrin to miss significant portions of the season. She explained the challenges of the World Cup points system, where injuries allow temporary protection of standings, but returning athletes must quickly accumulate points to maintain priority start positions.
Despite the setback, Shiffrin has staged an impressive comeback. She has dominated slalom this season but faced tougher hurdles in giant slalom. Most recently, she placed fifth in the giant slalom and second in the slalom at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, on January 3-4, 2026 — showing steady progress.
“There was less of a mental barrier in slalom,” she noted, highlighting her stronger recovery in that event, where she holds a commanding lead in the standings.
Now over a year into recovery, Shiffrin is channeling the experience into motivation. “Medals are definitely on my mind,” she said of the upcoming Olympics. “This feels like a blend of a comeback season and going full throttle. I’m just riding the wave, staying focused, and keeping at it.”
Shiffrin’s resilience underscores her status as the winningest skier ever, with 106 World Cup victories. As the Games approach, she remains a top contender, blending caution with ambition in her pursuit of more Olympic hardware.
