After days of weather delays, U.S. alpine ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin finally had the chance to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and got the most out of it. The 22-year-old was the fastest in the giant slalom on Thursday and managed to win her second Olympic gold, after getting the slalom gold in Sochi four years ago.
“To be honest, it’s incredible but for me, the biggest thing is with my GS, it’s so special in how it’s been building this year, and since Sochi,” – said Shiffrin after clinching gold. “I got fifth in Sochi, I was two-tenths off the podium, and I thought, I’m not the best GS skier so I don’t deserve to win a gold medal or even a medal in GS. At that time I set a goal to, you know, become the best GS skier in the world, and some of my GS skiing right now, it’s so incredible and to be able to put a run, that run I was really taking risks and fighting for it and I’m so happy for that.“
Mikaela Shiffrin is going to try and make a run for the gold medal in slalom as well, which would put her above Ted Ligety and Andrea Mead Lawrence as American alpine skier with most Olympic gold in history.
After a bit slower start, U.S. athletes are picking up the pace, and now there are five Americans who are the proud owners of Olympic gold medals from Pyeongchang. Prior to Shiffrin, snowboarders Shaun White, Red Gerard, Jamie Anderson, and Chloe Kim all managed to win the gold for the U.S.
