Mikaela Shiffrin Opens Up About Surreal ‘Almost Out-of-Body Experience’ Just Before Claiming Olympic Gold
In a candid interview on TODAY, skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin described a trance-like, almost spiritual state that overtook her moments before she pushed out of the starting gate and captured Olympic gold in slalom at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games.
The 29-year-old American legend, already one of the most decorated athletes in ski racing history, recounted how the pressure of the moment triggered a flashback to her heartbreaking early exit in the slalom at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. But this time, something shifted dramatically.
“It was almost an out-of-body experience,” Shiffrin told hosts on the show. She recalled briefly dissociating — hovering outside herself — before snapping back to reality, suddenly feeling surrounded and lifted by the presence of her team, family, and the memory of her late father.
That mental reset fueled one of the most triumphant comebacks in recent Olympic history. After years of dominance on the World Cup circuit but Olympic heartbreak in 2022, Shiffrin delivered a flawless performance to win her third career Olympic gold medal and end an eight-year Olympic gold drought in the discipline.
Shiffrin has been refreshingly open about the emotional weight she carried into these Games, including grieving the unexpected death of her father in 2020 and learning to compete without him physically by her side. In the interview, she also touched on finally accepting the reality of her success and the whirlwind of emotions that followed crossing the finish line.
Fans and fellow athletes have flooded social media with support, calling the revelation both inspiring and deeply human. “Mikaela showing that even the greatest deal with doubt and find strength in the unseen,” one commenter wrote.
At 29, the GOAT of women’s skiing isn’t slowing down. With multiple World Cup titles already under her belt and the fire still burning, Shiffrin made it clear in recent interviews: #NotDoneYet.
Her story continues to transcend sport — blending elite performance, mental resilience, raw grief, and those rare, almost mystical moments that separate champions from the rest.
What a legend. The mountain isn’t conquered yet. ⛷️🥇
