CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — As the prestigious 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics kicks off, American skier Mikaela Shiffrin is eagerly preparing to make her mark in the giant slalom competition. Scheduled to start third in the race on Sunday, February 15, Shiffrin is joined by her teammates Paula Moltzan, who earned a bronze medal with Jackie Wiles in the team combined, starting fifth, and Nina O’Brien, who will be in 11th place. A.J. Hurt rounds out the American contingent, beginning the race in 23rd position.
The giant slalom, marking the first of the technical races in the Olympics, is an event where Shiffrin has previously excelled, securing Olympic gold in 2018 and winning two titles in the past season. However, she is approaching this race with caution after a disappointing performance in the team combined, where she finished 15th out of 18 competitors.
Reflecting on her experience in the team combined, Shiffrin expressed her frustration on social media, stating, “My skiing in the first race didn’t come together the way I visualized. I fought for every hundredth and didn’t totally find the right execution.” She emphasized the challenges of ski racing, indicating that it involves “fine margins, endless changing variables, and constant adaptation.” With determination, she is focused on learning from her recent experiences and striving for a better outcome in the giant slalom.
While Shiffrin aims to reclaim her former glory, expectations are tempered given the 15-month journey to recover from a serious injury that affected her performance. Her podium finish in the last giant slalom race before the Olympics marked a positive sign, as it was her first top-three result in the discipline in two years.
Moltzan, on the other hand, enters the race with confidence, having achieved three podium finishes in the giant slalom this World Cup season, including a silver medal just before the Olympics. As the American team gears up for their individual challenges, the anticipation of the giant slalom race reflects the resilience and determination of these athletes on one of the grandest stages in sports.