Mikaela Shiffrin is back — stronger, but not unscarred. After suffering a severe abdominal injury in a November crash and battling PTSD, the Olympic skiing legend has broken her silence. In a powerful essay, she reveals she’s starting to feel “like myself again.”
💥 Crash, Recovery, and a Raw Reality
In late 2024, Shiffrin’s search for her 100th World Cup win turned into a nightmare. During a giant slalom event at Killington, she banged into the safety nets, sustaining a deep puncture wound and torn oblique muscles. The injury was nearly life-threatening, sidelining her for months. bout a diagnosis of PTSD, saying that even when her body healed, parts of her remained fractured. She struggled to trust the slopes she once conquered.
🏃♀️ The Return & The Comeback
Shiffrin made her racing comeback on January 30 in Courchevel, finishing 10th in the slalom — a modest but meaningful step back.
Then in February, she captured the slalom in Sestriere for her 100th World Cup win — an emotional victory made even sweeter by her road to recovery.
In March, she ended the season on the highest note: winning the slalom at the World Cup Finals, bringing her total to 101 career wins. That triumph came despite missing much of the season, including a two-month layoff after her crash.
That win also extended her record for most podium finishes in alpine skiing, breaking past Ingemar Stenmark’s benchmark with 156 top-three finishes.
🌍 Beyond the Slopes: Her New Chapters
Shiffrin isn’t just conquering mountains — she’s expanding her reach off them. She recently joined the ownership group of Denver’s new NWSL team, investing in women’s sports in her home community.
