Shiffrin opens up: "It was a bit scary."

Mikaela Shiffrin made history once again last season – and showed that to achieve the greatest successes, you first have to win the battle against yourself.

April 05, 2026

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Three Olympic gold medals, eight World Championship titles, 110 World Cup victories, six large and twelve small crystal globes – Mikaela Shiffrin's career is unparalleled. But recent years have revealed that even for a once-in-a-century athlete, historic achievements are anything but easy. The death of her father, Jeff, in February 2020 derailed her, and a serious crash during the Killington giant slalom in January 2025 triggered post-traumatic stress disorder. Yet Shiffrin always managed to pick herself up and fight back – thanks to her mental fortitude.

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo nevertheless presented a particular challenge: The external pressure was enormous; she wanted to put the "humiliation" of the Beijing Winter Games behind her. However, this was only possible with gold in the slalom – anything else would have been tantamount to defeat. "You can never prepare for the narratives that are spread about you," Shiffrin said in a recent interview. Women's Health Magazine on this.

"One of the most difficult moments was in my hotel room, when I struggled with how to explain my life story and my journey to people." Mikaela Shiffrin

Being among the very best in a sport comes with a certain amount of pressure. Shiffrin may be even more vulnerable in this regard than other athletes, given that she shares many insights into her life on social media and speaks openly about her feelings and mental hurdles. Cortina was no exception. "One of the hardest moments was in my hotel room, struggling with how to explain my life story and journey to people. But at some point, I thought: You just have to let it go and do your job, because you can't fight these battles with everyone at once."

Shiffrin and an unusual move

But Shiffrin had prepared for such moments, when responsibility, being a role model, and the incredible pressure to succeed combine to create an enormous burden. "Something risky this season was actually integrating my psychologist into my team of coaches and support staff," she noted. "My hope was that this would ensure we were truly aligned and would tackle our challenges as a unit."

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The Olympic gold medal in slalom alone underlines that Shiffrin could definitely rely on her mental strength last winter. "It paid off extremely well," she said, clearly pleased, but admitted: "But it was also a little scary to be so vulnerable with the people you work with. Do my coaches really want to hear what's going on inside me? But in the end, it was helpful."

Mikaela Shiffrin beams after winning her gold medal at the Olympic Games. © APA / HANS KLAUS TECHT

She had to get rid of the protective wall she had built up over the years and hidden behind. Only then could she truly open up and learn to clearly separate certain (distressing) issues. "In the end, it was a very important step to let everyone share in what's going on inside me and what's happening in my head, so that we could truly feel connected and as one," she summarized.

Keywords Winter sports Alpine skiing Mikaela Shiffrin World Cup