Ad News Live
February 10, 2025
Mikaela Shiffrin Injury: Following a collision in November, Mikaela Shiffrin is coping with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
She will not be defending her giant slalom gold medal at the Alpine skiing world championships as a result.
Severe Injury and Mental Struggles
On November 30, Shiffrin was involved in a giant slalom competition at Killington, Vermont, when she crashed.
She suffered severe trauma to her oblique muscles due to a deep puncture wound.
She was seriously injured. Her colon and abdominal wall were nearly punctured by the trauma. It was, she later said, "a millimeter from pretty catastrophic."
Shiffrin acknowledged her mental health issues in an audio message.
"I'm struggling to break through to the next level in terms of pace and speed," she admitted. "The mental and psychological hurdles—almost like a form of PTSD—have been tougher than I expected."
She had believed that training in Europe would restore her confidence; however, she did not anticipate how difficult it would be to overcome her fear.
Previous Crashes and Psychological Impact
She has experienced serious crashes before. She suffered a high-speed fall in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, last season. She missed six weeks due to that injury.
She has been working with a psychotherapist to deal with her worries. Megan Harrod, her spokesperson, confirmed that Shiffrin is actively looking for mental health support.
Shiffrin shared her frustration on Instagram. "I really didn't expect experiencing so much of this kind of mental/PTSD struggle in GS from my injury," she said.
Heartbreaking Decision
Two years ago, at the most recent world championships, Shiffrin took home the gold in giant slalom. That was when she was at her best.
"Two years ago, I was at my top level in GS," she said. "That was hands down the most enjoyable time I've ever had skiing GS."
She is unable to even start the event anymore. According to her, it was "pretty heartbreaking."
She will still participate in Saturday's slalom competition in spite of this. Her best discipline is slalom. Her best event is the slalom, which is comparatively easier than the giant slalom due to its slower speeds.
Shiffrin Joins Team Combined with Breezy Johnson
Shiffrin has made the decision to participate in the new Worlds team combined event. Breezy Johnson, the recent downhill gold medalist, will be her partner.
In the team combined event, two racers compete—one in slalom and the other in downhill—and the final ranking is determined by adding their respective times together.
"I'm not at full potential, not in giant slalom and not in slalom either," Shiffrin acknowledged. "But I feel good enough in slalom."
Lindsey Vonn’s Reaction
For the event, Lindsey Vonn wanted to collaborate with Shiffrin. As she put it, it was a "dream team."
The U.S. coaching staff, however, chose players based on their season-best performance. Vonn did not approve of the choice.
She later removed the shrug emoji that she had shared on social media. She then supported the squad in a new post.
"Always been a team player and I support my team no matter what," Vonn said. "I'm not surprised by the decisions made, but at least now it's clear that it's not my decision."
A Special Bond with Breezy Johnson
Since they were eleven years old, Shiffrin and Johnson have been racing together. They have been friends, competitors, and teammates.
"It will be so cool to bring this full circle," Shiffrin said.
Johnson recently returned from a 14-month suspension for skipping three doping tests. Still, Shiffrin commended her determination.
"She’s worked incredibly hard and given it everything to get here," Shiffrin said. "Her journey and grit have inspired me."
Hopeful Return to Giant Slalom
Later this month, Shiffrin hopes to go back to giant slalom. In Sestriere, Italy, she plans to participate in a slalom competition and two GS races.
She has won 99 World Cups so far. To achieve 100, she just needs one more.
She hopes to gain more time for her recovery by delaying her GS return.
"This buys us just a little bit more time to get things a little bit more sorted," she said.
Fans are eagerly waiting to see her back at her best.
Follow Us
