Mikaela Shiffrin Targets First Olympic Medal Since 2018 in Final Slalom Run
Updated (3 articles)
Final Slalom Race Set for Feb 18 Shiffrin will compete in the women’s slalom on Wednesday, Feb 18, her third and last event at the Milan‑Cortina Games, with Run 1 at 4 a.m. ET and Run 2 at 7:30 a.m. ET streamed on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com; the U.S. team also includes Paula Moltzan, Nina O’Brien and AJ Hurt [1][2][3].
Recent Performances Show Narrow Misses A sluggish run in the women’s combined last week eliminated Shiffrin and teammate Breezy Johnson from the podium, and her 11th‑place finish in the giant slalom was just 0.3 seconds behind bronze, underscoring how close she remains to medal contention [1][2][3].
Career Achievements Reinforce Slalom Dominance Shiffrin has already secured a record ninth World Cup slalom title, adding to her 71 career slalom victories (seven this season) and a total of 108 World Cup wins across all disciplines, cementing her status as the sport’s most successful racer [1][2][3].
Rival Perspectives and Medal Expectations Vary Petra Vlhova, returning from a knee injury, voiced confidence in Shiffrin’s chances, while Shiffrin herself noted the growing mental challenge of repeated slalom runs; sources differ on whether her last Olympic medal came in 2014 or 2018, reflecting a discrepancy in reporting the length of her medal drought [1][2][3].
Sources
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1.
WBNS: Mikaela Shiffrin eyes slalom medal in final Olympic race: details her final slalom attempt, broadcast schedule, recent combined mishap, and mental‑focus comments .
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2.
King5: Mikaela Shiffrin’s Final Olympic Slalom Run Targets First Medal Since 2018: emphasizes her medal goal, recounts the combined and giant slalom results, and lists U.S. teammates .
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3.
AP: Shiffrin’s Final Olympic Slalom Quest at Cortina: highlights her eight‑year medal drought narrative, includes Vlhova’s supportive remark, and notes her overall World Cup win total .
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Timeline
Feb 2014 – Mikaela Shiffrin wins Olympic gold in the women’s slalom at the Sochi Games, delivering her first Olympic title as a teenager and establishing her as a dominant force in alpine skiing[3].
Feb 2018 – Shiffrin earns a bronze medal in the women’s alpine combined at the PyeongChang Olympics, marking her most recent Olympic podium before the 2026 Games[2].
Jan 2024 – Rival Petra Vlhova tears multiple knee ligaments, missing most of the 2023‑24 season, but later returns to back Shiffrin ahead of the Milan‑Cortina slalom[1].
Early Feb 2026 (women’s combined) – Shiffrin posts a “bafflingly slow” run in the women’s combined, finishing 15th and eliminating herself and teammate Breezy Johnson from medal contention[1][2][3].
Feb 13, 2026 (giant slalom) – Shiffrin finishes 11th in the giant slalom, just 0.3 seconds behind the bronze medalist, showing she remains within striking distance of the podium[1][2][3].
Feb 15, 2026 – Shiffrin clinches her record ninth World Cup slalom title with two races left, underscoring her sustained dominance in the discipline despite Olympic pressure[1].
Feb 17, 2026 – Shiffrin’s career tally reaches 108 World Cup victories across all events, cementing her status as the sport’s most successful racer[1].
Feb 18, 2026 – Shiffrin competes in her final Olympic event, the women’s slalom at Tofane, seeking her first 2026 medal and first Olympic podium since 2018; she stresses the mental difficulty of repeated slalom runs, saying, “No matter how many runs of slalom I do, it never gets easier… It only gets like you become more aware of how challenging it is.”[2][3].
Feb 18, 2026 (broadcast) – The slalom’s two runs stream at 4 a.m. ET and 7:30 a.m. ET on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com, with fellow U.S. skiers Paula Moltzan, Nina O’Brien and AJ Hurt also entered[2][3].