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Mikaela Shiffrin is one of the most decorated American alpine skiers of all time, and she added another milestone to her legacy on February 18, 2026, in Milano at the Winter Olympics. The U.S. star captured gold in the women’s slalom, ending an eight-year Olympic medal drought and reasserting her dominance on the world stage.
“I’ve been very grateful to the team, to my coaches and everybody around me who helped me focus on the thing that’s the most meaningful, which is strong skiing, strong turns — just proper skiing,” Shiffrin said. “And that’s what I got to do today.”
Here’s everything you need to know about her below.
Mikaela Shriffin Is an Olympic Gold Medalist Skier
Mikaela Pauline Shiffrin, born March 13, 1995, is one of the most decorated alpine skiers in Olympic history. She won her first gold medal in slalom at the 2014 Sochi Games, becoming the youngest Olympic slalom champion at the time. She added another gold in giant slalom and a silver in alpine combined at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.
At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano, Shiffrin captured another gold in slalom. Known primarily for her dominance in slalom and giant slalom, she has also competed in speed events like super-G and downhill, showcasing her versatility across disciplines.
Mikaela Is Also a World Record Holder
Shiffrin has rewritten the record books throughout her career. In 2023, she surpassed Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark’s long-standing record for the most Alpine Skiing World Cup wins, becoming the winningest skier — male or female — in World Cup history. She has continued to add to that total, extending her lead with victories across multiple disciplines.
Shiffrin has been especially dominant in slalom, where she previously broke the record for most wins in a single World Cup discipline. Over the years, she has battled rivals like Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova in some of the sport’s most dramatic races, often coming from behind to secure narrow victories.
“Any time you’re able to be a little bit faster than Petra, that’s an incredible job,” Mikaela said in 2022, per CNN. “She’s so strong, she’s making no mistakes, she’s skiing slalom the way it’s meant to be skied. It’s impressive. It’s really special to watch that. It’s a special season she’s had so far. It’s not stopping tonight, that’s for sure.”
She Added to Her Olympic Legacy in 2026
Heading into the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Shiffrin was already among the most decorated American alpine skiers in history, trailing only legends like Julia Mancuso and Bode Miller in total Olympic medals. While Beijing did not bring the medal haul she had hoped for, Shiffrin returned to the Olympic stage at the 2026 Winter Games in Milano and captured another gold medal in slalom, further strengthening her place in U.S. skiing history.
With multiple Olympic gold medals across her career, Shiffrin remains among the elite company of women who have won three or more Olympic golds in alpine skiing. As she continues competing at the highest level, she has the opportunity to climb even higher on the all-time Olympic medal lists.
She’s Engaged to Fellow Alpine Skier Aleksander Aamodt Kilde
Shiffrin is engaged to Norwegian alpine skiing star Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, one of the top men’s speed-event racers in the world. The couple went public with their relationship in 2021 and have frequently supported each other through World Cup seasons, Olympic competitions and injury recoveries.
In April 2024, Shiffrin and Kilde announced their engagement, sharing the news with fans on social media. Both athletes have spoken openly about balancing their relationship with the demands of elite competition, often training and racing on different circuits while staying connected during long stretches apart.
She Has Spoken About the Pressures of Being an Olympian
Shiffrin has been candid about the intense expectations that come with being one of Team USA’s biggest stars. Following the broader conversation around athlete mental health at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she acknowledged the weight of public pressure heading into Beijing in 2022.
“The pressure is always there, and you live with it, and you let it drive you,” she told the Associated Press. “But also, you can’t let it dominate you, can’t let it take over your mentality.” Shiffrin said that some folks view that Olympians have to win “gold or else that’s a huge disappointment,” which only increases the stress on competitors.
“It even went a step beyond that. It wouldn’t have been a ‘disappointment;’ people just didn’t even consider it a possibility. And what I know from that kind of pressure is: It is not easy to win. Ever.”
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