Mikaela Shiffrin Captures Olympic Slalom Gold, Ends 8 Year Wait on Biggest Stage

Mikaela Shiffrin is back on top of the Olympic podium in slalom.

The American star won the women’s slalom at the 2026 Winter Olympics, snapping an eight year gold medal drought in the discipline and adding another defining moment to one of the most decorated careers in alpine skiing history. The victory came at Cortina d Ampezzo, where Shiffrin delivered two controlled runs to secure gold and reaffirm her standing as the sport’s most accomplished technical skier.

Shiffrin’s win marked her first Olympic gold medal since the 2018 PyeongChang Games and her first Olympic slalom title since 2014. Despite years of dominance on the World Cup circuit, Olympic success had been elusive for nearly a decade as crashes, narrow misses, and mounting expectations followed her through multiple Games.

This time, there was no mistake.

Shiffrin entered the slalom as one of the favorites, but the Olympic slalom has been historically unforgiving. She posted one of the fastest opening runs, setting herself up for a clean second run where she protected her margin and avoided the errors that had plagued previous Olympic appearances.

The gold medal performance capped a long road back after a turbulent stretch that included injuries, personal loss, and missed opportunities at past Olympics. Shiffrin struggled at the 2018 Games in South Korea after winning giant slalom gold early, failing to medal in several later events. At the 2022 Beijing Games, she exited multiple races early, leaving without a medal despite being a heavy favorite.

The slalom victory in Italy ended that narrative.

With the win, Shiffrin now owns multiple Olympic gold medals across two disciplines, further cementing her status among the all time greats. She already holds the record for most World Cup wins in alpine skiing history, a mark she surpassed in 2023, and her Olympic resume now more closely matches her dominance outside the Games.

The women’s slalom field in Cortina was stacked with top technical skiers from Europe and North America, many of whom have challenged Shiffrin consistently on the World Cup circuit. Still, her precision and discipline on a course that punished even small mistakes proved decisive.

Conditions on race day were firm but fair, with no significant weather delays. Shiffrin handled the surface cleanly, maintaining speed through the steep sections and keeping her line tight through the gates that caused problems for several competitors.

The United States had been searching for a marquee moment in alpine skiing at the Milan Cortina Games, and Shiffrin delivered it. Her gold medal adds to the American medal tally and provides a signature highlight for Team USA as the Games move into their later stages.

Warning: Account balances and purchasing power no longer tell the same story. Know in 2 minutes if your retirement is working for you.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.