With the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics alpine schedule winding down, American superstar Mikaela Shiffrin faces her last opportunity to claim a medal in Wednesday’s women’s slalom—the discipline where she has reigned supreme all season.
The 30-year-old, widely regarded as the greatest slalom skier in history, enters as the overwhelming favorite. Shiffrin has dominated the World Cup circuit, securing seven victories and one runner-up finish in eight slalom races this season, clinching a record ninth slalom crystal globe before the Games even began. Of her 108 career World Cup wins, a staggering 71 have come in slalom, the most by any alpine skier in a single discipline.
Yet the pressure mounts. Shiffrin has not stood on an Olympic podium since her gold in slalom at PyeongChang 2018. In Beijing 2022, she endured a medal-less Games, and so far in Cortina, results have fallen short of expectations: fourth in the team combined (despite a strong downhill leg from teammate Breezy Johnson) and 11th in giant slalom, a discipline complicated by a puncture wound injury from November 2024.
After the giant slalom, Shiffrin reflected on lessons learned, noting misalignments in course setting, equipment, conditions, and mindset during the team combined. “There were a lot of turns where I was quite quick… and a handful where I missed,” she said. Heading into slalom, she aims to adapt and “turn nervousness into intensity,” viewing the giant slalom as valuable mental preparation.
Her coach, Karin Harjo, made history by becoming the first woman to set an Olympic alpine course for the giant slalom’s second run, adding a unique layer to Shiffrin’s campaign.
Chief rival Camille Rast of Switzerland—the only skier to beat Shiffrin in slalom this season and the reigning world champion—poses the biggest threat in pursuit of her first Olympic medal. Other podium contenders include Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener (five-time Olympic medalist who skipped giant slalom for extra slalom training), Austria’s Katharina Truppe, Germany’s Emma Aicher and Lena Duerr, and American Paula Moltzan.
Shiffrin has spoken candidly about the unique pressures of the Olympics, where narratives often overlook the sport’s demands. Despite the medal drought, her unbreakable consistency and love for the gates make Wednesday’s race must-watch television. For the U.S. legend, it’s redemption time—one final run down the mountain to silence doubts and add to her legendary legacy.
