CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) – Mikaela Shiffrin’s eight-year Olympic medal drought is over.
The American skiing legend put in two outstanding runs to win the women’s slalom at the Winter Games on Wednesday by 1.50 seconds.
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Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States, center, who won the women’s alpine ski slalom race, celebrates with runner-up Camille Rast of Switzerland, left, and third-place finisher Anna Swenn Larsson of Sweden, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 20268, (AP) (AP)
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Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States, center, who won the women’s alpine ski slalom race, celebrates with runner-up Camille Rast of Switzerland, left, and third-place finisher Anna Swenn Larsson of Sweden, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 20268, (AP) (AP)
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The race isn’t officially over yet, as plenty of low-level runners are yet to take on the course. But Shiffrin is the leader behind the 30 fastest runners from the first race.
World champion Camille Rast was in the silver medal position and Anna Swenn Larsson in third place.
After delivering a good second run to build on her 0.82 lead from the morning, Shiffrin stood at the finish line to take it all in, swinging a little and getting married by the other medalists.
Then all the emotion came out: Shiffrin pumped her fists into the crowd and then fought back tears as she approached her mother and coach, Eileen.
Perhaps it was a relief of all the pressure on Shiffrin, one of the greatest Alpine skiers of all time, who had failed to win an Olympic medal since taking gold and silver in Pyeongchang in 2018.
A painful 0-for-6 performance in Beijing was followed in Cortina d’Ampezzo with an 11th place finish in the giant slalom and a joint fourth place finish with Breezy Johnson on the team, where Shiffrin placed 15th in the slalom section.
Her first gold came in the slalom as a fresh-faced teenager in Sochi 12 years ago, so her Olympic journey has come full circle in her favorite event.
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