US star Mikaela Shiffrin darts to
early lead in women's slalom at Milan Cortina Olympics
[February 18, 2026]
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) Mikaela Shiffrin is one clean
run away from ending an eight-year Olympic medal drought.
The American skiing star nailed her first trip through the women's
slalom at Tofane on Wednesday, her time of 47.13 giving her a
healthy 0.82-second lead over Germany's Lena Duerr among the early
competitors.
The 30-year-old Shiffrin, the most decorated skier of all time, was
quick out of the gate but appeared to be in trouble after she
stumbled through one gate about halfway down. She recovered quickly
and then pumped her first a rare display of public emotion when
she saw her time.
I felt like I nailed it with some question marks, but the time was
good, Shiffrin said, who added she had big energy when she
dropped in.
Cornelia Oehlund of Sweden was third, exactly one second back.
Camille Rast of Switzerland is fourth, 1.05 seconds back followed by
Swiss teammate Wendy Holdener.
Shiffrin slid into the starter's gate still looking for her first
Olympic medal in the Dolomites. A chance at gold in women's combined
ended with a fourth-place finish after a stunningly slow run in the
slalom she was 15th sent her and teammate Breezy Johnson
tumbling off the podium.
Things weren't much better from a placement standpoint anyway
during the giant slalom on Sunday, where she was 11th. Yet Shiffrin
remained upbeat, pointing to the tight margin between herself and
the medal stand three-tenths of a second as proof she was
rounding into form.
The reality is a medal in the giant slalom would have been a bonus.
She came to Tofane fresh off her first podium finish in the GS in
two years and was hardly considered a favorite.
Slalom, however, is different. Shiffrin has already locked up her
ninth World Cup season title in her best discipline thanks to seven
firsts and a second in eight starts.
[to top of second column] |
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during an
alpine ski, women's slalom race, at the 2026 Winter
OlWednesdayympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, , Feb. 18, 2026. (AP
Photo/Marco Trovati)
Starting seventh beneath crisp bluebird conditions
on a course that Team USA officials described to her over the radio
as a high-tempo ripper, Shiffrin was exquisite. Aggressive out of
the gate her time over the first segment was the fastest among the
most accomplished racers her only wobble came when she struck a
gate.
For a fraction of a second, it appeared she was headed for another
Olympic disappointment. Not this time. She snapped back into form
immediately, her hips almost hypnotically guiding her legs back and
forth as she rediscovered the tempo and form that has made her a
winner in this event more than 70 times over her record-setting
career.
One of those victories came in Sochi a dozen years ago, when
Shiffrin stomped her way to gold as a fresh-faced teenager. She's
now considered perhaps the greatest racer of all time, though one
haunted by an 0 for 6 performance in Beijing four years ago.
Shiffrin was adamant she had put those difficult few days in China
behind her when she arrived at the jagged edges of the Dolomites.
If she can put together a second run that mirrors her first, she
probably will have.
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