Mikaela Shiffrin will not soon forget what happened Monday in her first race of the Beijing Olympics. The poor transition that came five turns, and about 10 seconds, into the defense of her 2018 gold medal in the giant slalom. The skidding slide onto her left side. The missed gate that meant she was done so early in the opening run of a two-leg event.
The first “DNF” — “Did Not Finish” — next to her name on any GS result sheet in more than four years, a streak encompassing 30 races.
It’s not simply about how rare these mistakes are. It’s about the sting that sticks with her.
“I won’t ever get over this,” Shiffrin said, her voice steady, after slowly making her way to the bottom of a course known as The Ice River at the Yanqing Alpine Skiing Center. “I’ve never gotten over any.”
That’s what happens when an athlete is as successful as Shiffrin, a 26-year-old American who owns three Winter Games medals — including a pair of golds — along with three World Cup overall titles and six world championship victories.
