When Mikaela Shiffrin stormed to gold in the women’s slalom at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on February 18, she didn’t just celebrate with a podium moment — she channeled her inner risk-taker with a powerful Taylor Swift lyric that perfectly summed up her fearless approach.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the 30-year-old alpine skiing superstar explained why she chose the line “My advice is always ruin the friendship” from Swift’s track “Ruin the Friendship” (off the album The Life of a Showgirl) to caption her victory Instagram post.
To Shiffrin, the song isn’t about romance — it’s about taking big risks and leaving nothing behind when it matters most.
“The lyrics go into some loss and regret… but at the end of the day, when I started out this season listening to the album, I kept putting on ‘Ruin the Friendship,’” Shiffrin shared. “I’m like, ‘This is what I want to feel when I’m in the start gate. I want to go. I just want to leave it all behind and ruin the friendship.’”
She added that the song speaks to her deeply: “It’s about taking risks, kind of, in my life. That’s how I sort of translate it to my life, and that’s not always the easiest thing to do. But yeah, it really felt like the right moment.”
Shiffrin was also deliberate about the accompanying photo, calling it “probably the best action shot” of a slalom turn she’s ever had — a perfect visual match for the bold, all-in mentality the lyric represents.
The post quickly caught the attention of Swift herself, who commented “HISTORIC 🥇🥇🥇,” giving her fellow Swiftie the ultimate seal of approval. Shiffrin, a longtime fan who attended Swift’s Eras Tour in Denver, described the interaction as “just crazy.”
This wasn’t the first Swift connection at the 2026 Games. Shiffrin’s teammate Breezy Johnson also received a Swift comment when her fiancé proposed using lyrics from “The Alchemy.”
Shiffrin’s dominant performance in Cortina — winning by a commanding 1.5-second margin — marked her third Olympic gold and further cemented her status as the most decorated American alpine skier in history. The victory came after a season in which she claimed a record-equaling sixth Overall World Cup title, proving once again why she’s widely regarded as the greatest of all time in her sport.
By pairing her hard-earned gold with a message of fearless risk-taking, Shiffrin delivered more than just athletic excellence — she shared a relatable, empowering mindset that resonates far beyond the slopes.
From start gate to finish line, Mikaela Shiffrin continues to show that true champions don’t play it safe. They ruin the friendship… and make history doing it.
