From teenage phenom to undisputed queen of alpine skiing, Mikaela Shiffrin continues to rewrite the record books at a blistering pace.
It all started in Sochi 2014: At just 18, the American sensation stunned the world by winning gold in the women’s slalom, becoming the youngest Olympic champion in the discipline’s history. That breakthrough moment launched one of the most dominant careers in winter sports.
Fast-forward to today: Shiffrin has amassed three Olympic medals (gold in slalom 2014, gold in giant slalom 2018, and silver in combined 2018) and shattered every major benchmark on the FIS World Cup circuit. Her latest triumph? A commanding victory in the night slalom under the floodlights in Flachau, Austria, on January 13, 2026 — her 107th career World Cup win overall and her 70th in slalom alone. She crossed the line in 1:50.52, edging out U.S. teammate Paula Moltzan by 0.41 seconds for a thrilling American 1-2 finish, with Austria’s Katharina Truppe taking third.
This marks her sixth slalom victory of the 2025-26 season — a dominant run that includes reclaiming the top spot after a rare second-place finish to Switzerland’s Camille Rast in Kranjska Gora on January 4. That brief upset only fueled Shiffrin’s fire, proving once again why she’s the GOAT: no one stays ahead for long.
With the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics just weeks away (opening February 6, alpine events running through February 18), Shiffrin is peaking at the perfect time. She’s focusing on her signature events — slalom (where she’s the overwhelming favorite), giant slalom for redemption, and potentially team combined or super-G — while Team USA looks stronger than ever with Moltzan delivering podiums and pushing her in training and races.
But the competition is heating up. Swiss star Camille Rast, the reigning slalom world champion, has shown she can challenge the queen, snapping Shiffrin’s early-season streak and adding real drama to the Olympic buildup. Could Rast pull off an upset on the Tofane slopes in Cortina? Or will Lindsey Vonn’s comeback story (if she qualifies) add extra American intrigue?
Shiffrin herself has called her participation in these Games “50-50” in past interviews, hinting at the physical and mental toll of years at the top — yet her current form screams legacy-building mode.
The countdown is on. Will Mikaela add a third Olympic gold to her collection and cement her status as the greatest alpine skier ever? Or will a rival finally dethrone the unbreakable?
One thing is certain: The slopes of Milano Cortina are about to witness history.
