Mikaela Shiffrin suffered a significant injury during a World Cup giant slalom skiing race in Killington, Vermont, on November 30, 2024. The injury included a deep puncture wound on the right side of her abdomen and severe muscle trauma,but fortunately,there was no bone or ligament damage [[1]][[2]][[3]].
Despite the injury, Shiffrin initially planned to make a comeback in the giant slalom discipline. However, she later decided to withdraw from the event, citing mental blocks and the psychological impact of the crash. In an audio message, Shiffrin mentioned that she was mentally blocked and couldn’t push herself to the next level of speed. She also noted that the mental health problems she experienced were greater than she expected, similar to PTSD (post-traumatic stress syndrome).
Shiffrin’s decision to withdraw from the giant slalom opens up opportunities for other competitors, including Sweden’s sara Hector, who has impressed during the season and been at the top of the World Cup standings in the giant slalom.
Shiffrin is still planning to compete in the World Cup slalom on Saturday. She also changed her team combination for Tuesday’s event, where one rider runs down and another runs the slalom. Initially, she was not planned to set up the team, but she will now form the U.S. team with Breezy Johnson.
