Mikaela Shiffrin is one of the most decorated American alpine skiers of all time, and she added another milestone to her legacy on February 18, 2026, in Milano at the Winter Olympics. The U.S. star captured gold in the women’s slalom, ending an eight-year Olympic medal drought and reasserting her dominance on the world stage.
“I’ve been very grateful to the team, to my coaches and everybody around me who helped me focus on the thing that’s the most meaningful, which is strong skiing, strong turns — just proper skiing,” Shiffrin said. “And that’s what I got to do today.”
Here’s everything you need to know about her below.
Mikaela Pauline Shiffrin, born March 13, 1995, is one of the most decorated alpine skiers in Olympic history. She won her first gold medal in slalom at the 2014 Sochi Games, becoming the youngest Olympic slalom champion at the time. She added another gold in giant slalom and a silver in alpine combined at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.
At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano, Shiffrin captured another gold in slalom. Known primarily for her dominance in slalom and giant slalom, she has also competed in speed events like super-G and downhill, showcasing her versatility across disciplines.
Shiffrin has rewritten the record books throughout her career. In 2023, she surpassed Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark’s long-standing record for the most Alpine Skiing World Cup wins, becoming the winningest skier — male or female — in World Cup history. She has continued to add to that total, extending her lead with victories across multiple disciplines.
Shiffrin has been especially dominant in slalom, where she previously broke the record for most wins in a single World Cup discipline. Over the years, she has battled rivals like Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova in some of the sport’s most dramatic races, often coming from behind to secure narrow victories.
