Shiffrin and her heroine: “My best friend”

Mikaela Shiffrin has achieved everything in the world of alpine skiing. However, as she recently revealed, none of this would have been possible without one particular special person.

09 May 2026

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Three Olympic gold medals, eight World Championship titles, six Crystal Globes – and the list could go on. Mikaela Shiffrin has long been considered one of the best skiers in history, and the 31-year-old has set the bar very high for future generations. One thing is clear: talent alone would probably never have allowed the American to soar as high as she ultimately did. Behind her rise lie meticulousness, passion, pain, and a great deal of hard work that began in her early years.

In an interview with Sportsish Shiffrin recently looked back on her career and highlighted one particular person whom she simply called "my hero": "My mom. She has been one of my coaches my whole life – even now in the World Cup," she explained.

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Without the sacrifices of her mother Eileen, who, together with Shiffrin's father Jeff, recognized and nurtured her talent, the record-breaking World Cup victory would probably never have been possible. "She was also always my best friend and closest confidante," Shiffrin explained, admitting, "She helped me graduate from high school when I was just starting out racing in the World Cup."

Shiffrin: "Always stayed true to herself"

Shiffrin could always count on her mother's support – despite some difficult periods in her life. "She went through cancer treatments and coped with my father's death. Throughout it all, she always stayed true to herself and consistently supported and encouraged the people around her, especially her family," Shiffrin said. "She has been by my side every step of the way throughout my career and my entire life."