Mikaela Shiffrin Matches Record with 15th World Ski Championships Medal
Mikaela Shiffrin secured her 15th career medal at the World Ski Championships in Saalbach, Austria, on Tuesday, equaling the all-time record. Her victory came after overcoming a traumatic crash that she said caused post-traumatic stress disorder.
Teaming up with Breezy Johnson, who recently returned from a 14-month anti-doping suspension, Shiffrin helped clinch gold in the combined event. Johnson’s fourth-fastest downhill and Shiffrin’s third-fastest slalom secured the win, marking a remarkable comeback for Shiffrin after suffering an abdominal puncture in a crash at Killington in November.
This triumph earned Shiffrin her eighth career world championship gold, bringing her total medal count to 15—tying her with German skier Christl Cranz, a dominant figure in the 1930s. However, the 29-year-old American admitted that competing in Austria was mentally challenging following her recent crash.
On Monday, Shiffrin announced she would not defend her giant slalom title due to lingering fear, describing her struggles as similar to PTSD.
“It’s scary, but I want to be here,” she said. “For the last two weeks, I haven’t really felt that. I felt like it was too terrifying.”
For Shiffrin, competing at the World Championships is about more than just winning medals. Despite her impressive record—including four slalom golds, two in combined, and one each in giant slalom and super-G—she emphasized the importance of resilience and camaraderie.
“So many people say medals are the only thing that matters, but in the end, it’s about how you act and how you support each other,” she reflected.
Johnson encouraged Shiffrin to compete for the sheer joy of skiing rather than just the pursuit of medals.
Recovering from Injury and Mental Hurdles
Shiffrin shared that her abdominal injury no longer causes pain. “Muscle injuries heal, and the pain goes away. It’s different from ligament or knee injuries that linger,” she said. Though her body still aches from getting back into skiing, she remains focused on overcoming mental obstacles.
“We want it to be easy, but there are so many variables in skiing,” she added. “We’re taking it step by step.”
Johnson, who has known Shiffrin since childhood, praised her resilience. “I wanted to support her because she’s helped me so much since we were kids.”
Swiss duo Lara Gut-Behrami and Wendy Holdener claimed silver in the event, adding to their impressive world championship medal counts.
Gut-Behrami highlighted Shiffrin’s impact on the sport: “She inspires young skiers, just like we were inspired watching past champions.”
Shiffrin’s teammate Lauren Macuga, who led the combined downhill times before finishing fourth, expressed optimism about Shiffrin’s form. “It’s great to see Mikaela regaining confidence—this sets her up well for the upcoming slalom event.”
