Mikaela Shiffrin's latest Olympic gold was more than just a victory. The skiing icon broke an eight-year medal drought in Milan on Wednesday. She then revealed how the emotional win marked a turning point in the grief she has carried since her father's passing.

Shiffrin won gold in the women’s slalom in Milan by 1.50 seconds. Afterwards, the star opened up about the loss she felt throughout. While she dreamt of this moment, fear also lingered. But ultimately, it was a moment of rebirth for her.

“Everything in life that you do after you lose someone you love is like a new experience”, she said. “It’s like being born again. And I still have so many moments where I resist this. I don’t want to be in life without my dad.”

Her father, Jeff Shiffrin, was highly involved in training her. And after his untimely passing in 2020, Mikaela took a near year-long hiatus from the sport. On Wednesday, she was finally able to overcome this. It felt like a silent triumph instead of a continuation of the same grief. For the first time after losing her father, she won an Olympic gold medal.

“Maybe today was the first time that I could actually accept this like reality. And instead of thinking I would be going in this moment without him, to take the moment to be silent with him”, the star added.

This victory is not just about medals, but a test of resilience. Because Shiffrin did not have a smooth start at Milan or over the last 3 Winter Games.

Mikaela Shiffrin Navigated Through Crashes and Self-Doubts

Despite being the youngest athlete to win the Olympic slalom in 2018 and one of the greatest skiers in the USA’s history, Shiffrin was at odds for years. On February 15, she lost her footing in the women’s giant slalom in Milan, ranking 11th.

Even in the 2022 Beijing Games, she went medal-less for all the 6 races she entered. Though she was victorious in the 2023 World Cup, it was short-lived. Because the star had a devastating crash in Killington, Vermont, which left her wondering if she would ever be the same.

Shiffrin confronted her self-doubts to restore her confidence. The Sunday race was considerably better, but Wednesday’s was iconic.

The victory gives Shiffrin her third Olympic gold medal, adding to 108 World Cup wins. It is a testament to her athleticism in the face of adversities.

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Written by

Deblina Roy

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar