Mikaela Shiffrin Shares Emotional Comeback Message After World Cup Podium, Ahead of 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics

Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin recently shared her thoughts about her comeback from a near-fatal injury. Shiffrin is all set to make a strong comeback at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

For the uninitiated, Shiffrin had suffered a serious crash in November 2024 at an FIS World Cup race in Killington, Vermont. She sustained a puncture wound to her abdomen and had to undergo surgery for the same. However, Shiffrin returned to the skiing circuit within months.

Mikaela Shiffrin Talks About Comeback After Killington Crash

Shiffrin narrated her journey from the near-fatal crash to yet another slalom victory ahead of the Milano Cortina Olympics. The 30-year-old alpine skier has recently sealed her place as the slalom champion for the FIS World Cup 2025-26 season.

The alpine skier shared her experience in a descriptive Instagram story, as she wrote,

“A year ago (tomorrow), I stepped back into the World Cup start gate for the first time since being impaled in Killington. We were in Courchevel, and I remember it being such a huge step forward-feeling the race day intensity, skiing a full-length course, and fighting through tough conditions.

“I remember feeling proud. of myself, and especially proud of my team. I remember such an overwhelming feeling of gratitude to them for helping me get that far, that quickly.”

The alpine skier further added in the Instagram story,

“Fast forward one year, and we’ve just achieved the first World Cup GS podium since my crash. No, not the Killington crash. The one in Cortina, two Januarys ago. On Saturday’s Giant Slalom in Spindleruv Mlyn, it had been over two years since I was on a podium in GS, and it been more than one year since I truly believed in my ability to achieve that level. That third place felt like a victory both for me, and my team.”

READ MORE: ‘Totally Different Challenge’: Mikaela Shiffrin Opens Up on What a Strong Season Means Heading Into the Olympics

Shiffrin was referring to her first crash in January 2024, where she fractured her leg in a crash that occurred in Cortina d’Ampezzo, which is also one of the two cities that will be hosting the 2026 Winter Olympics alongside Milan.

Her ligaments had been torn in the crash, and it took her six weeks to recover.

Mikaela Shiffrin had returned empty-handed from the Beijing Winter Olympics.

However, this time, the alpine skier wishes to leave no stone unturned at the upcoming Winter Olympics, where she aims to win another gold medal for Team USA.