13 World Championship medals, 7 of them in gold.
Mikaela Shiffrin once again made history with her world title in giant slalom in Meribel. She is the first woman ever to win at least one gold medal in six consecutive title fights – in four disciplines. Many a nation can hide there.
You have the feeling that you are currently seeing the best Mikaela Shiffrin of all time. Her turns are so precise, almost perfect, a treat for every ski enthusiast’s eye. Hardly anything seems to be able to get the 27-year-old off track. Not even the apparently ugly separation from her long-term coach Mike Day just a day before her gold run.
In addition to 13 World Championship medals, two Olympic victories and an unbelievable 85 World Cup victories are on Shiffrin’s vita, the 86th and thus the setting of Ingemar Stenmark’s all-time record is only a matter of time.
Shiffrin: “Everyone has to decide for themselves”
Shiffrin is slowly running out of superlatives. For many, the American is already the greatest in skiing of all time.
The question of the GOAT (Greatest of all time) has not only arisen since Shiffrin’s seventh World Cup gold, but a journalist still wants to know at the press conference after the race where Shiffrin sees himself in comparison to other greats.
“I don’t think there’s anything I can do to actually be the greatest of all time,” says Shiffrin. “I think everyone has to decide for themselves who their favorite athlete is. Some call me ‘the greatest’ but for a lot of people I’m not and that’s ok.”
The answer to this question alone proves that Shiffrin is definitely one of the greatest – regardless of their successes.
Character is what separates a good or very good athlete from a truly great athlete.
Shiffrin has always been friendly, polite, humble and above all authentic. From the beginning of her career, she wasn’t afraid to show real emotions, both the positive and the negative. A welcome change in the (sports) world of poker faces. The fact that emotions sometimes go in the wrong direction is the exception and shows that Shiffrin is also fallible.
Without compromise for their beliefs
Her open handling of her private life, in which there have been some ups and downs in recent years with the sudden death of her father Jeff and her relationship with ski colleague Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, makes Shiffrin a star with an extra portion of humanity.
After a translation error, she posts a humorous video on Instagram that shows her pedaling on the ergometer, and still manages not to completely ignore the topic of menstruation in sports.
Shiffrin is a fighter for her sport, and it’s really not easy in times like these.
She regularly uses her stage to draw attention to relevant topics, also outside of skiing. This makes the 27-year-old vulnerable, but she stands up for her convictions without compromise.
Uncompromising, determination, irrepressible will, these qualities also make the superstars what they are.
Mikaela Shiffrin has taken skiing to a new level without taking off. That’s more impressive than most wins.
