Historic Victory Ends Eight‑Year Olympic Medal Drought On Feb 18 2026 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Mikaela Shiffrin won the women’s slalom with a combined time of 1:39.10, finishing 1.50 seconds ahead of the silver‑medalist—identified as Camille Rast in some reports and Camille Rust in others—thereby ending an eight‑year Olympic podium absence for the American [1][2][3][4]. The 1.50‑second gap represents the biggest Olympic Alpine margin since 1998 and the third‑largest ever in women’s slalom [1][2][4]. Her performance came after a fourth‑place finish in the team event and an 11th place in the giant slalom at the same Games, showing a dramatic turnaround from her 2022 Beijing results [4].

Third Alpine Gold Makes Shiffrin First U.S. Skier with Trio The win gave Shiffrin her third Olympic Alpine gold, making her the first U.S. skier ever to collect three such medals [1][3][4]. At age 30, she also became both the youngest (when she first won at 18) and the oldest woman to claim an Olympic Alpine title, a 12‑year span unmatched in the sport [2]. The achievement adds to her record as the only winter Olympian with a 12‑year gap between golds in the same event [2].

Season Dominance and Comeback From 2024 Injury Entering Cortina as the heavy favourite, Shiffrin had already won seven of eight World Cup slalom races this season and held a career‑record 108 World Cup victories, securing the overall title early [3]. A December 2024 crash in Killington left her with a punctured tire and stomach‑muscle damage, which she described as an “invisible injury” that affected her mental health for months [3]. Intensive therapy and a focused mental‑training regimen helped her regain confidence, culminating in the flawless Olympic runs [2].

Emotional Dedication to Late Father Jeff Throughout the race Shiffrin repeatedly said she was thinking of her father Jeff, who died in a February 2020 home accident in Colorado, describing the moment as a way to accept his absence and feel “reborn” [1][2][3][4]. She called the victory a “peaceful” and “spiritual” experience, noting that the win felt like speaking directly to him [2][4]. The dedication resonated on the podium, where she embraced her mother and coach Eileen before stepping up for the medal ceremony [1].

Support Network and Medal Ceremony Highlights After crossing the finish line, Shiffrin hugged silver‑medalist Camille Rast (or Rust) and bronze‑medalist Anna Swenn Larsson, then shared a long embrace with her mother and longtime coach Eileen before stepping up for the medal ceremony [1]. She also acknowledged fiancé Alexander Aamodt Kilde with a quiet smile, underscoring the personal peace she felt after the race [2]. U.S. Ski & Snowboard CEO Sophie Goldschmidt praised the performance as “well‑deserved” and highlighted Shiffrin’s resilience under Olympic pressure [1][4].