Mikaela Shiffrin Storms to Second Winter Olympic Slalom Gold
American skier Mikaela Shiffrin delivered a stunning performance to win the women's slalom at the Winter Olympics, securing her second gold in the discipline and third overall. The victory came on a sunny Wednesday in the Dolomites, where Shiffrin posted a two-run time of 1 minute 39.10 seconds, making her the first US skier to achieve three Olympic gold medals.
Dominant Display on the Slopes
Shiffrin, wearing the No. 7 bib, overcame a brief wobble during her opening run when she clipped a gate, but quickly regained her rhythm to finish in 47.13 seconds. This gave her a massive lead of 0.82 seconds over Germany's Lena Duerr, marking the largest first-run advantage in an Olympic women's slalom in 66 years. Her second run was equally commanding, building on her early lead and solidifying her victory.
Switzerland's Camille Rast, the reigning world champion, took silver with a time 1.50 seconds behind Shiffrin, representing the largest winning margin in any Olympic alpine skiing event since 1998. Sweden's Anna Swenn Larsson earned bronze, while the rest of the field trailed by at least two seconds according to provisional results.
Overcoming Past Challenges
Shiffrin's Olympic journey has been marked by both triumph and adversity. After winning slalom gold as an 18-year-old in Sochi and adding giant slalom gold and combined silver in Pyeongchang, she faced disappointment at the Beijing Games four years ago, failing to medal in six races, including three shocking DNFs. A harrowing crash during a World Cup race in Killington, Vermont, two years ago raised questions about her future, but she rebounded strongly.
On Wednesday, Shiffrin answered those doubts with brio, becoming the oldest US woman to win a gold medal in alpine skiing, having been the youngest 12 years ago. She has now won 58 of 72 slalom races when leading after the opening run, an 81% conversion rate that cements her status among the sport's great closers.
Notable Performances and Rivalries
Slovakia's Petra Vlhova, defending her 2022 Beijing Olympic gold, appeared far from her best after a two-year recovery from multiple torn ligaments in her right knee. She finished nearly three seconds adrift of Shiffrin after the first run and could only improve to 20th overall. Germany's Emma Aicher, who took silver in the downhill last week, showcased her all-around promise by finishing ninth, while Albania's Lara Colturi, the lone teenager in the contest, tied for 10th with France's Caitlin McFarlane.
Shiffrin's victory places her as only the second woman to win the Olympic slalom more than once, following Switzerland's Vreni Schneider. This achievement underscores her resilience and skill, marking a triumphant return to Olympic glory after years of challenges.
