Mikaela Shiffrin was overwhelmed by her emotions. © ANSA / ANDREA SOLERO

Tears in the interview: Shiffrin is also only human

Mikaela Shiffrin made history with her 100th World Cup victory - and was at a loss for words after this milestone. In a moving interview, she gave a tearful insight into her emotional world.

23. February 2025

From: never

Suddenly, the finish area in Sestriere was completely quiet - but then a loud sob broke the unusual silence. Mikaela Shiffrin had to collect herself in the official winner's interview, which was also broadcast over loudspeakers in the arena. "Thank you," she finally said after a few tears. "Everyone was so nice and supportive. All my teammates, opponents, coaches - the entire World Cup. I am so grateful. Thank you very much."

Olympic gold medals, World Championship titles, overall World Cups and now the first ski professional in history with 100 World Cup victories: Shiffrin is the empress of the icy slopes. How much does this success mean to her? "It's very special to be able to share this with Paula," she said, referring to her teammate and friend Paula Moltzan, who took third place on Sunday. "I could hear the fans when she started. Then I thought to myself: This is like training. We keep pushing."

Shiffrin: Coronation after the suffering

Despite her previous achievements, Shiffrin has had to keep meeting new standards in recent years - because dominance alone was apparently not enough for the observers. The 29-year-old first broke the women's victory record of Lindsey Vonn (82), then she pushed past the Swedish icon Ingemar Stenmark (86). But the American was not left alone, everyone was now expecting the glorious 100th place.

Mikaela Shiffrin after her triumph in Sestriere. © ANSA / ANDREA SOLERO

At the end of November, however, Shiffrin suffered a serious injury in the giant slalom in Killington. Not only was her record-breaking quest on hold for the time being, but also her career: How would she return to the World Cup? "I've asked myself so many times in the past few weeks whether it was the right decision to come back," she said, looking back on her comeback around three weeks ago in Courchevel, France. "But in order to continue to progress and complete the recovery, I have to be there and experience these emotions," said Shiffrin. "Today was just a wonderful day in the middle of some really tough months."

“In the end, I did something right”

Before the World Cup weekend in Piedmont, Shiffrin would not have necessarily expected her 100th triumph on the big stage. "Today, many things had to go right for me and wrong for some others. Camille was just so fast in the first run," she said of the world champion Camille Rast, who had fallen in the first round shortly before the finish"A lot of things had to go my way for this to happen, but in the end I did something right," she said, concluding with a proud smile: "Thank you."