You could feel the excitement in the clear mountain air at Tofane on Wednesday. Mikaela Shiffrin is about to feel the same way. The American skiing star, who has basically rewritten the record books for the sport, came out of the gate with a time that has everyone talking in the first run of the women's slalom at the Milan Cortina Olympics. She had a strong 0.82-second lead over Germany's Lena Duerr with a blazing 47.13-second time, but there were still more competitors to come. It was a fast run, and it was the kind of run that makes you feel good after years of disappointment at the Olympics.
Picture this: the crowd goes wild every time a famous person pushes off, the snow is perfect, and the sun shines brightly under the famous bluebird skies in the Dolomites. Shiffrin, who started in eighth place, looked like she was locked in from the first turn. She had the fastest split of all the top racers, and she attacked the upper stretch like it was her backyard training run. But things started to get a little risky about halfway down. For a short time, it looked like there was going to be another Olympic "what if" moment when she fell hard after hitting an edge or something on one of the gates. As her body twisted and her skis chattered, you could hear everyone at the finish line gasp. But no. Not at this time. The 30-year-old breezed through the bottom part with less effort than ever before, snapping her hips back into her signature mesmerizing cadence. She doesn't often show real feelings, but when she lost it, she didn't hold back and raised her fist in the air. You could see the fire and relief in her eyes when she looked up at the scoreboard.
"Not this time.
Cornelia Oehlund from Sweden is now in third place, one second behind the leader. The top five is completed by Wendy Holdener, a teammate of Camille Rast of Switzerland, who is in fourth place, 1.05 seconds behind. They have all been working hard this season, so they aren't lazy, but Shiffrin's advantage feels different. It's not just the time; it's how she skied it. Her aggressive style, accuracy, and championship swagger have helped her win almost 70 World Cups in slalom alone.
Shiffrin's Commanding First Run Sets the Stage for Gold
You could feel the excitement in the clear mountain air at Tofane on Wednesday. Mikaela Shiffrin is about to feel the same way. The American skiing star, who has basically rewritten the record books for the sport, came out of the gate with a time that has everyone talking in the first run of the women's slalom at the Milan Cortina Olympics. She had a strong 0.82-second lead over Germany's Lena Duerr with a blazing 47.13-second time, but there were still more competitors to come. It was a fast run, and it was the kind of run that makes you feel good after years of disappointment at the Olympics.
Picture this: the crowd goes wild every time a famous person pushes off, the snow is perfect, and the sun shines brightly under the famous bluebird skies in the Dolomites. Shiffrin, who started in eighth place, looked like she was locked in from the first turn. She had the fastest split of all the top racers, and she attacked the upper stretch like it was her backyard training run. But things started to get a little risky about halfway down. For a short time, it looked like there was going to be another Olympic "what if" moment when she fell hard after hitting an edge or something on one of the gates. As her body twisted and her skis chattered, you could hear everyone at the finish line gasp. But no. Not at this time. The 30-year-old breezed through the bottom part with less effort than ever before, snapping her hips back into her signature mesmerizing cadence. She doesn't often show real feelings, but when she lost it, she didn't hold back and raised her fist in the air. You could see the fire and relief in her eyes when she looked up at the scoreboard.
Cornelia Oehlund from Sweden sits third, one second back. Camille Rast of Switzerland holds fourth at 1.05 seconds off, with teammate Wendy Holdener right behind.
Shiffrin's lead feels really solid right now. That first run wasn't just quick—it was aggressive from top to bottom, super precise in every gate, and loaded with the kind of championship swagger that only comes from someone who's won this event more times than anyone else ever has. You watch her ski and it's clear she's in her element, attacking the course like she owns it, no fear, just pure confidence built from years at the top.
If she can put together a second run that's anywhere near as clean and sharp as the first one—no big mistakes, no hesitating, just that same aggressive flow—she's got a great shot at finally ending this eight-year Olympic medal drought.
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A Tough Start to These Olympics for Shiffrin
Let's face it: this Olympics hasn't been the perfect experience that Shiffrin probably hoped for when she first got to Italy. She was hoping to find that elusive Olympic magic in the Dolomites, but the combined event caught her off guard. She did poorly in the slalom leg, finishing 15th and dropping to fourth overall, just missing out on the medal. She did well in the downhill segment, though. It was very hard to watch comrade Breezy Johnson go through the same pain. The giant slalom came next on Sunday. Position 11. No one thought that the best skier of her generation would end up there. Shiffrin stayed positive in the mixed zone after the race by saying that she was only three tenths of a second away from winning the medals. She basically said, "I'm right there," and it was clear that she meant it. She had just placed on the podium in that event for the first time in two years at the World Cup, but she wasn't the favorite, so the giant slalom wasn't meant to be her primary priority here. What is slalom? That's where she lives.
And wow, she's really gotten into it lately. Shiffrin won her tenth World Cup season title in slalom before the Olympics even started. She won seven of the eight events and came in second in the other. You don't just get that kind of power. The reason is years of hard training, perfecting every little movement, and building a mental toughness that most athletes can only dream of. While she was waiting at the start gate, Team USA's coaches were telling her over the radio that the course was a "high-tempo ripper." She really took that advice and ran with it. Her legs were moving like pistons as she spun from the first gate to the last at that speed. What went wrong? Just a little thing. It felt like it never happened because she got better so quickly. At the bottom, she was in charge again.
From Sochi Gold to Beijing Struggles and Back
You might remember that twelve years ago, a pretty young girl named Mikaela won a gold medal in the slalom at the Olympics in Sochi. She was eighteen and couldn't be stopped. Four years ago in Beijing, things were very different. Every event was a huge disappointment, with no medals and zero for six. That would have been very hard for a lot of athletes, but Shiffrin said she had gotten over it all by the time she got to Italy this time. She talked about trusting the work she had done, living in the moment, and focusing on the process. You could see the effects of this way of thinking today. Just racing, without stopping to think or hesitate.
There is a lot of stress on her shoulders. She is already the most decorated alpine skier in history, with more World Cup wins than anyone else. However, for many fans, the last piece of the puzzle has been her eight-year Olympic medal drought since Sochi. Not only would a gold medal here in Slalom end that streak, but it would also cement her status as possibly the best person ever to click into bindings.
Experience and Technique Shine Through
The problem is that if her second run is anything like her first—clean, aggressive, and without mistakes—she'll probably leave with hardware around her neck. There will be more ruts and noise from all the races by then, which will make the course a little harder. But that's when her experience really shines.
Still, Shiffrin's skiing is amazing, no matter what the numbers say. Even when she is pushing herself to the limit, her technique is so smooth that it looks easy. Those hip movements, the way she takes in the terrain, and the quick corrections are like watching a master class. And even at 30, she keeps getting better and better in small ways. Younger competitors are moving up quickly, are hungry, and aren't afraid, but Shiffrin has the calmness that comes with experience that can turn losses into wins, as she showed by how well she did on that hard gate today.
Electric Atmosphere as Second Run Awaits
Everyone at the Team USA camp was overjoyed after her run. Coworkers cheering from the sidelines and coaches giving high fives. Everyone wrote this date on their calendars for her. The huge slalom was a bonus, in addition to being educational. She shows why she is the best in Slalom.
As the afternoon goes on and the second run gets closer, the energy in Cortina is electric. Will she stay? Is there anyone who can fill in that gap? The fans are getting impatient, but if past performance is any guide, Mikaela Shiffrin can deliver when it counts. She is not only competing for a medal, but also to write one more great line in her Olympic story and end a chapter of almost winning. And from that first run, it looks like she is on the right track.
Emily Parker
Sports Reporter
Emily Parker is an expert sports journalist, covering major leagues like the NFL, NBA, and the Olympics. She focuses on athlete stories, sports culture, and global sports events, bringing a unique perspective to the world of sports reporting.
