Mikaela Shiffrin and her fiancé, Norwegian alpine skier Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, have leaned on each other through severe injuries that threatened their paths to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE published on January 29, 2026, the 30-year-old American skiing star described how the couple supported one another during overlapping periods of “survival mode” following their respective crashes.
Shiffrin suffered a serious accident during the giant slalom at the World Cup event in Killington, Vermont, in late November 2024. She hit a gate, sustaining a deep puncture wound to her abdomen and significant trauma to her oblique muscles, requiring surgery. The injury made everyday actions like coughing, sneezing, or laughing extremely painful, and she questioned whether she could return to elite-level racing.
Meanwhile, Kilde, 33, had endured a horrific crash in the downhill race in Wengen, Switzerland, in January 2024. The incident led to torn shoulder ligaments, nerve damage, a severe calf wound, and later a major shoulder infection that escalated to sepsis—a life-threatening condition. This resulted in multiple surgeries, prolonged rehabilitation (including hamstring grafts), and a nearly two-year absence from competition. He finally returned to the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in late 2025.
The couple, who announced their engagement in April 2024, bonded over shared recovery struggles. Shiffrin noted that while both were sidelined, their time together was difficult due to physical limitations, but it strengthened their connection. “We both have been in survival mode for the last year and a half,” she recalled. “It’s being able to relate to each other and help each other through those tough moments. He does that for me on a daily basis. It’s pretty special.”
Shiffrin praised Kilde’s recent performance in a challenging Italian race during the 2025/2026 season, where he navigated a massive jump despite limited shoulder function. She encouraged him to focus on his remarkable progress rather than minor time gaps against fully fit competitors.
File:Mikaela Shiffrin Grandvalira 2023 SL 2nd run (21).jpg …
Kilde, a three-time Olympian for Norway with medals from Beijing 2022 (silver in Alpine Combined and bronze in Super-G), is now back competing. Shiffrin, a three-time Olympic medalist and one of the most decorated skiers in history, aims to defend her titles for Team USA at the February 2026 Games.
Their mutual support has been key to overcoming physical and emotional setbacks, positioning both athletes for potential strong showings in Milano Cortina as a united couple chasing Olympic glory.
