In a noteworthy performance at the Olympic alpine team combined event in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, the American duo of Jackie Wiles and Paula Moltzan secured a bronze medal, marking a significant achievement in their careers. However, their teammate Mikaela Shiffrin, one of the sport’s top competitors, fell short of the podium in her first race of the 2026 Olympics.
The competition, which combines downhill and slalom racing, pairs skiers to showcase both speed and technical skills. Shiffrin, entering the Olympics as the slalom season leader and with an impressive track record including seven World Cup slalom victories this season, faced an unexpected hurdle. Despite teammate Breezy Johnson delivering a stellar first-place run in the downhill leg, Shiffrin’s slalom performance was a disappointment, finishing 15th with a time of 45.38 seconds, a second behind the fastest slalom runner.
This result adds to Shiffrin’s previous Olympic struggles, having not medaled in any events during the 2022 Beijing Games. The bronze medal for Wiles and Moltzan is particularly sweet; for both athletes, it signifies their first Olympic podium finishes. Wiles, in particular, found redemption after coming in fourth in the individual downhill event just days prior.
The gold medal went to Austria’s Ariane Raedler and Katharina Huber, with a combined time of 2:21.66, while silver was claimed by Germany’s Kira Weidle-Winkelmann and Emma Aicher. Wiles and Moltzan finished only a quarter of a second behind the silver medalists, underlining the competitive nature of the event.
This year marks the Olympic debut of the mixed team format, having replaced the traditional individual combined event. The new structure integrates both disciplines of alpine skiing, and it has already demonstrated its excitement and unpredictability. According to Johan Eliasch, president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, the success of the event suggests that this format will be a permanent fixture in future competitions.
As the 2026 Olympic Games continue, American skiers have shown they are capable of outstanding performances, and the hope remains that Shiffrin can regain her form and compete for the podium in the upcoming events.