Lindsey Vonn, Coco Gauff, and Simone Biles sent a congratulatory note for Mikaela Shiffrin after the alpine skier’s monumental slalom victory at the Milan-Cortina Olympics. Shiffrin surpassed Swiss world champion Camille Rast to achieve the feat and become the most decorated American female skier in Olympic history.
Shiffrin’s win was more significant because it broke her medal drought at this edition of the Games. It was the first podium finish since the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, where she earned the giant slalom top finish.
Mikaela Shiffrin Receives Acclaim from Simone Biles, Lindsey Vonn, and Coco Gauff
Shiffrin was at the mouth of a heartbreaking fate at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, walking home without a single podium finish despite being a medal favorite. She didn’t know how she felt, but later cited mental health issues for her underwhelming campaign. The 30-year-old received support from the most decorated American gymnast, Biles, who had a similar traumatic experience in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Shiffrin never backed down after that, despite enduring difficult moments during her injuries, which put her career in jeopardy. Staving off the online backlash, she bounced back.
In a recent Instagram post, Shiffrin opened up about her success after going through difficult situations and thanked her team members for their continued support.
“I won! I got there, in the face of fear and adrenaline and the potential for criticism and backlash from people who know nothing and don’t even try to understand… They have stood strong for me. In knowing what we would expose ourselves to on this path.”
Reacting to Shiffrin’s impressive win, Lindsey Vonn, who ended her Olympic campaign after the downhill crash, sent her support, writing:
“Huge congrats @mikaelashiffrin!”
Biles also commented on her post: “GOATED🎉💕 so excited for you!!”
WTA icon Gauff joined forces and commented, “Goat”
The win came after Shiffrin missed the podium in the team and giant slalom events on the Olympic stage.
Shiffrin also stood atop the podium for the first time in the absence of her father, her biggest supporter. In a post-race press conference, the 30-year-old shared that she has been experiencing life differently since losing a loved one.
“For my dad, who didn’t get to see this. This was a moment I had dreamed about. I have also been very scared of this moment,” Shiffrin said. “Everything in life you do after you lose someone you love is like a new experience.”
“I still have so many moments where I resist this. I don’t want to be in life without my dad and maybe today was the first time that I could actually accept this reality,” she added.
The 30-year-old extended her World Cup win tally to 108 in the 2025-26 season, and also became the most decorated slalom skier with 71 wins.
