American skiing sensation Mikaela Shiffrin is delivering a masterclass in slalom dominance as the countdown to the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics intensifies. The 30-year-old has achieved a perfect start to the Olympic season, winning all four World Cup slalom races held so far, while also making a significant comeback in other disciplines following two major career crashes.
Unbeatable Form and Olympic Mindset
Shiffrin's current slalom form is nothing short of formidable, with her victories marked by commanding leads averaging 1.5 seconds. This represents a remarkable turnaround from the latter part of last season, where she grappled with post-traumatic stress disorder after a severe fall in Killington. Reflecting on her mental approach, Shiffrin revealed her unique strategy for handling pressure. "Right now I can feel when I have a disruption in my momentum and then in my mind it is like a gas pedal," she explained, describing her ability to accelerate mid-run.
She further elaborated on the constant challenge, stating, "Every single time I stand in the start it’s like a new situation and I found a way so far. I found a way to dig really deep to find that quality skiing. But it’s not straightforward. It takes so much effort." This weekend, Shiffrin returns to a favoured venue, the Austrian resort of Semmering, where she has previously secured seven of her record 105 World Cup wins.
Building Momentum Across Disciplines
While slalom remains her fortress, Shiffrin is diligently working to regain her peak performance in giant slalom and super-G. She has recorded two fourth-place finishes in giant slalom this season, showing steady improvement since a nasty crash in Killington last November that caused a deep puncture wound and severe trauma to her oblique muscles. "It’s just going to keep taking time," Shiffrin acknowledged. "I want to just keep improving or maybe get repetition from the slalom level."
In a significant step, Shiffrin recently entered a super-G in St. Moritz, her first speed event since a crash in Cortina d'Ampezzo nearly two years ago. Although she missed the final gate, the attempt marked crucial progress toward her goal of potentially contesting the super-G at the upcoming Olympics in Cortina. "Even if it’s not the Olympics, super-G is a big goal of mine to return to a strong form in super-G World Cup," she affirmed.
Chasing Records and Olympic Gold
Shiffrin's current streak is impressive. One more slalom victory will match her best season start from 2018-19, when she won the first five races. Overall, she is riding a wave of five consecutive slalom wins, closing in on her personal record streak of seven. At the Milan-Cortina Games, Shiffrin could compete in four events: slalom, giant slalom, super-G, and the new team combined discipline.
She already possesses two Olympic gold medals from Sochi 2014 (slalom) and PyeongChang 2018 (giant slalom). Her partnership with downhill specialist Breezy Johnson, with whom she won team combined gold at last season's world championships, hints at a potential "Dream Team" for the Olympics. The event pairs one racer in a downhill run with a teammate in a slalom, with aggregate times deciding the winner. With her flawless form and determined mindset, Mikaela Shiffrin is powerfully positioning herself as one of the standout stories to watch at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
