As the great Lindsey Vonn retires, there is zero void in American Downhill excellence.
Here is 25 year old Mikaela Shiffrin
Name: Mikaela Shiffrin
Sport: Alpine Skiing
Height: 5-7
DOB: 3/13/1995
Birthplace: Vail, Colo.
Hometown: Edwards, Colo.
High School: Burke Mountain Academy (East Burke, Vt.) ‘13
Team/Club: Burke Mountain Academy
Coach(es): Eileen Shiffrin, Mike Day, Jeff Lackie
Olympic Experience
Two-time Olympian (2014, 2018, 2022); three-time Olympic medalist (2 gold, 1 silver)
Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, 9th (super-G), DNF (giant slalom, slalom, alpine combined), 18th (downhill)
Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, gold (giant slalom), silver (alpine combined), 4th (slalom)
Olympic Winter Games Sochi, gold (slalom), 5th (giant slalom)
World Championship Experience
Most recent: 2021 – gold (alpine combined), silver (giant slalom), bronze (slalom), bronze (super-G)
Years of Participation: 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021
Medals: 11 (6 golds, 2 silvers, 3 bronzes)
Gold – 2021 (alpine combined); 2019 (slalom); 2019 (super-G); 2017 (slalom); 2015 (slalom); 2013 (slalom)
Silver – 2021 (giant slalom); 2017 (giant slalom)
Bronze – 2021 (slalom); 2021 (super-G); 2019 (giant slalom)
Other Career Highlights
2017 FIS World Cup Standings, 1st (overall, slalom), 2nd (giant slalom), 6th (combined)
2016 FIS World Cup Standings, 4th (slalom), 10th (overall)
2015 FIS World Cup Standings, 1st (slalom), 3rd (giant slalom)
2014 FIS World Cup Standings, 1st (slalom)
2013 FIS World Cup Standings, 1st (slalom)
In 2013, became the fourth-youngest woman to win a world cup title and the first American slalom world cup champion since 1983.
In 2013, became the first non-European skier to win four world cup slalom races in a single season.
In 2012, was voted FIS Alpine World Cup Rookie of the Year after landing her first world cup podium at age 16.
Personal: Daughter of Jeff and Eileen Shiffrin...Has one brother, Taylor, who skied for the University of Denver...Father, Jeff skied for Dartmouth...Mother, Eileen was Masters ski racer...Biggest inspiration is her mom, for her caring nature, incredible ability to learn anything, teaching/coaching and constantly putting others before herself...Began skiing down her family’s driveway at age 2...Growing up in Vail kicked off her love for skiing and racing...Racing in high school allowed her to race World Cup full-time while still finishing school...Looks up to skier Bode Miller for his "larger than life" charisma...Ultimate goal is to be the best in the world for as long as she possibly can; wants to try to get farther than anybody has ever gotten; wants to elevate the sport to a new level and create more awareness for the sport she loves so much...In September 2020, the Shiffrin family launched the Jeff Shiffrin Athlete Resiliency Fund, in honor of her Dad, in response to the COVID-19 crisis and the setbacks it created for sports...Raised $1.5 million to allow camps to run as planned, and additionally fundraises for direct-to-athlete grants...Hobbies include playing tennis, windsurfing, listening to music, binge-watching shows, playing the guitar and piano and singing.
My appreciation to Team USA for the above information.
We watched her in the recent Olympics. Very impressive and humble athlete.
The competition from European women is stiff but I can see Mikaela staying on top, baring injuries of course.