Team USA alpine skiing queen Mikaela Shiffrin just spilled the tea on how a tiny, awkward mix-up almost derailed her romance with Norwegian skier Aleksander Aamodt Kilde – the man who’s now her fiancé and biggest cheerleader during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics!
In a candid exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Shiffrin revealed the funny-yet-heartbreaking early hiccup: Years ago, after a sponsor dinner event, Kilde playfully asked, “When are we having dinner?” She fired back jokingly, “We literally just had dinner!” – thinking she was being cute and flirty. He took it as a straight-up rejection and backed off. Shiffrin, meanwhile, assumed HE had ghosted HER. Cue years of radio silence and her thinking, “This guy’s bad news – he ghosted me!”
The misunderstanding stemmed from their very first real interaction around 2014, but things reignited in winter 2020 via Instagram. At the time, Shiffrin was still grieving the sudden loss of her father, Jeff Shiffrin, in February 2020. She admitted she was emotionally “shut down” and terrified of opening up to love again, fearing another loss. “I was like, ‘I’m not doing this. I’m not going through love because I cannot go through losing people,’” she shared.
But Kilde’s persistence, kindness, and genuine support changed everything. His messages felt safe and different – slowly melting her walls. What started as condolence texts after her dad’s passing turned into nonstop chatting, and the rest is history. They went public in 2021, made their red-carpet debut at the ESPYs, and got engaged in April 2024 with a stunning ring reveal.
Now, as Shiffrin chases more Olympic glory (fresh off her third gold in slalom!), wedding plans are on pause until after the Games. The power couple – both elite World Cup winners – joke about big vs. small celebrations, but for now, skiing and mutual support come first. Kilde’s been her rock through injuries, grief, and triumphs, proving their bond is built on resilience (and a good laugh about that dinner debacle!).
This relatable rom-com twist – from “he ghosted me” to “I love you forever” – shows how the best love stories survive misunderstandings and heartbreak. Who knew a simple joke could almost end one of sports’ sweetest couples?
