Mikaela Shiffrin: “If I had had a list of goals before retirement, I would already be there”

Like all champions, Mikaela Shiffrin has an enigmatic side. She completely misses her Beijing Games, finishing only two out of five races? She immediately won her fourth big crystal globe, the first since 2019 after a long reconstruction. Logical favorite of the season which starts late for women, postponements oblige, the American could think of the records of Lindsey Vonn and Ingemar Stenmark but that is not what drives her.

When the Vail skier chained 40 victories in the space of three seasons from 2016 to 2019, and while Lindsey Vonn herself had Stenmark’s 86 successes in her sights, everyone thought that the latter would only be a short record holder. Her youngest was arriving far too quickly for her to resist. And then Shiffrin slowed down, his five successes in 2021/2022 take him, at the start of a new season, to 74. At eight and twelve units respectively from the two legends. Either a great campaign or a monstrous season.

The record yes, but not at all costs for Shiffrin

“It would be a huge achievement in my career, because it would mean that I stayed at the top throughout my skiing journey, facing different generations of athletes, despite injuries and other very traumatic experiences.“, analyzes Shiffrin for the Olympic site. In fact, his four big globes, his two Olympic and six world titles as well as his successes which span ten years, already say a lot about his longevity.

The hunt for the record is not, however, the reason why Mikaela Shiffrin will once again return to the speed disciplines, decisive in her coronation in the general classification last season. The super-Gs of course, but also a few downhills if her sensations, and perhaps above all her results in giant and slalom, satisfy her. But the American, who, as we know, has gone through very difficult times in her life and which have had repercussions on skis, feels technically capable enough to continue on this path.

Victorious in all five disciplines during her career, Shiffrin surprised her world by winning the downhill finals in Courchevel/Méribel in March, signaling her return to high level speed. Does this mean that this rediscovered versatility will take him to other heights… and therefore other records? “I won’t say, ‘No, I don’t want this record’ because, of course, it’s something special. It’s just that I don’t need it.”

Shiffrin still wants to progress

“I don’t need it to feel like I’ve accomplished everything in this sportcontinues the 27-year-old American, only one would be tempted to add. I just want to keep improving. And hopefully over the next few years if I improve, that will mean I’m still able to win races. And then we’ll see for the record. And if it happens, I think it’ll probably be special, that’s for sure.”

But if Shiffrin has one goal before retiring, it’s to have fun and focus on his well-being above all else. Her relationship with Aleksander Aamodt Kilde helps her, to listen to him, in this sense. And it’s not the fiasco of the Beijing Olympics that changes anything. After all, Mikaela Shiffrin has already won so much…”I don’t have a single outcome goal that I want to achieve to feel like I can retire. If I had a list of goals to achieve before finishing my career… To be honest, I already have them all”.