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Team USA’s Alpine skiing star Mikaela Shiffrin admitted to feeling “disappointed” after narrowly missing the podium in the women’s alpine skiing team combined event at the Winter Olympics Milano Cortina 2026 on Tuesday. Partnering with teammate Breezy Johnson, Shiffrin’s 15th-place finish in the slalom contributed to the team’s fourth-place overall result.
Opening up about her first Olympic outing in Italy, the double Olympic gold medallist took to Instagram to share a candid reflection:
“The Olympics shine a bright light on medals, and within this experience, what I treasure most are the quiet, meaningful moments of work, connection, and shared joy with my team. I am here for the skiing and the execution of my turns. My skiing on the first race didn’t come together the way I visualised. I fought for every hundredth and didn’t totally find the right execution, this was certainly cause for disappointment.”
Despite the setback, Shiffrin emphasized that skiing is a sport defined by fine margins and constantly changing variables. In the days following the team event, the 30-year-old has focused on working with her coaches to analyse performance, refine techniques, and prepare with “focus, intention, and belief in the practice” for her upcoming individual events.
Shiffrin will compete in the women’s giant slalom on 15 February and the slalom on 18 February, opportunities that may yet add to her already impressive Olympic medal collection. She reflected on the personal growth embedded in the Olympic journey:
“The Olympics asks us to take a real risk on the world stage, one that requires courage and vulnerability to erroneous judgement and narratives built on limited understanding of what this sport truly demands. It all matters in the story of becoming the best versions of ourselves. We love deeply because we know loss, we feel the pain of defeat because we’ve tasted triumph. Heartbreak and victory live right next door; disappointment and gratitude often co-exist. I’m grateful to be here, motivated and excited for what’s next. May we all champion one another, tread lightly on what we don’t fully comprehend, and have the fortitude to keep showing up.”
Shiffrin also paid tribute to her fellow American skiing legend Lindsey Vonn, noting Vonn’s incredible tenacity and achievements on the Olympic stage, while expressing excitement to support her teammate in the women’s downhill.
As the Winter Olympics continue, all eyes will remain on Shiffrin to see if she can convert early disappointment into podium success in her individual events.
