The ghosts of the 2022 Beijing Olympics may still be haunting American skier Mikaela Shiffrin, who’s continuing to struggle at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games.
After finishing fourth with Breezy Johnson in the women’s team combined race, the skier failed to podium again in the women’s giant slalom final.
How Mikaela Shiffrin failed to medal again in Sunday’s race
Shiffrin finished in 11th. On her first run, she clocked 1 minute, 4.25 seconds. Her next trip down the slope wasn’t as quick. She recorded a 1:10.17, giving her a total time of 2:14.42.
Italy’s Federica Brignone, meanwhile, won her second gold medal in front of her home crowd (2:13.50). Sweden’s Sara Hector and Norway’s Thea Louise Stjernesund (2:14.12) tied for second, so they were both awarded a silver medal and no bronze was provided. Shiffrin congratulated the 35-year-old Italian skier after her victory.
“That was like the greatest show of GS skiing we’ve had in a really long time,” Shiffrin said, via Steve Douglas of the Associated Press. “And to do it, you know, at the Olympics, where people actually have eyes on the sport. Federica skied incredibly. That was so cool to watch.”
Mikaela Shiffrin is now running out of time to end Olympic drought
Shiffrin, though, hasn’t been enjoying many victories at the Games. She has now gone eight straight Olympic events without a medal. The skier last medaled at PyeongChang in 2018, where she won gold in giant slalom and silver in the women’s combined. In Beijing, she failed to finish three of her six races.
That’s a shocker. Shiffrin is among the most decorated alpine skiers ever. The five-time World Cup champion is the only one to have won 100 World Cup races or more (108). She had won five consecutive World Cup races entering the Olympics.
So, what gives? Is it the pressure? Are some of her struggles from the Beijing Games lingering in her mind? Or is it just her competitors having their best races at the right time?
Whatever it is, Shiffrin must find her groove before her final race in Milan Cortina. She is set to compete in the slalom run on Feb. 18, scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET. If she doesn’t place there, it will be another medal-less Olympics for the “Snow Queen.”