A heart-melting scene from the Copper Mountain super-G – Mikaela Shiffrin anxiously waiting at the finish line, hands clasped and eyes fixed on the course as her fiancé Aleksander Aamodt Kilde skied down – quickly became one of the most shared moments of the young alpine skiing season.
Now, days after ending a 685-day injury absence with a 24th-place finish in Beaver Creek, Kilde has opened up about the pivotal role Shiffrin played in his long and difficult recovery from a horrific crash in Wengen in January 2024.
“She’s been a rock for me,” Kilde said in an interview featured on the official Olympics Instagram account. “Having a partner who does exactly understands the job, the pressure, and the setbacks because she lives the same life – that’s incredibly valuable. We always try to stay positive together, even when it’s tough.”
The Norwegian speed specialist suffered severe shoulder injuries and deep cuts in the Wengen crash that required multiple surgeries and forced him to miss the entire 2024–25 World Cup season. Throughout the grueling rehabilitation, Shiffrin was a constant source of support – even when the World Cup calendar kept them apart.
“We have FaceTime, thankfully,” Kilde smiled. “When I crashed in Wengen, she supported me unbelievably well. We can talk about resilience, staying realistic, and focusing on what truly matters.”
The support has been mutual. In November 2024, Shiffrin herself suffered a frightening crash in Killington that caused a deep abdominal puncture wound and significant muscle trauma. Kilde, recovering in Innsbruck, could only watch helplessly on television before the couple reconnected via video calls.
Shiffrin was present in person for Kilde’s emotional return to competition last weekend. Speaking after watching him cross the finish line, the American superstar struggled to hold back tears.
“It was very special to be there for his comeback,” Shiffrin said. “I’m so proud of him – not just for skiing again, but for everything he’s been through mentally and physically these past two years.”
The couple, who began dating in 2020 and got engaged in late 2023, have become the most admired power couple in winter sports, with fans celebrating how they lift each other through the unique highs and lows of elite alpine racing.
“Their shared experiences with injury and comeback have only made their bond stronger,” one fan commented under the viral finish-line video that has now been viewed millions of times.
As the World Cup season continues, both athletes are back competing at the highest level – proof that, together, they are stronger than any setback the mountain can throw at them.
