Mikaela Shiffrin has made some changes to her race schedule for the World Alpine Skiing Championships. She will compete in the team combined event on Tuesday and the slalom on Saturday, but she won’t participate in the giant slalom on Thursday.
Shiffrin is recovering from an injury she suffered in November, which has made her hesitant about racing in the giant slalom. She recently shared her feelings on social media, saying, “I’ve been focusing all my energy on getting back to GS shape for the World Championships. Unfortunately, I’m not quite there yet. Right now, I’m facing some mental challenges related to the injury. It’s tough to admit that fear is holding me back from something I used to love.”
She had initially hoped to race in both the giant slalom and slalom during the championships, but due to her current situation, she decided to shift her focus. “Now that I know giant slalom isn’t happening just yet, I can join my teammates in the Team Combined,” she explained.
In the team combined event, each country can enter up to four teams, consisting of two skiers each — one for downhill and one for slalom. The winner is determined by the best combined times of both runs. This year marks the debut of this event at the World Championships, and it will also be featured in the Olympics next year, replacing the individual combined format.
While the official start list isn’t available yet, Shiffrin has mentioned that she will team up with Breezy Johnson, who recently became the world downhill champion. Shiffrin expressed her excitement about partnering with Johnson, saying it’s a special opportunity since they’ve been friends and competitors since childhood.
“It’s a real honor to race alongside her after all these years,” Shiffrin said. “Breezy knows the struggles we face in this sport; her journey has inspired me a lot.”
Mikaela Shiffrin is one of the most successful skiers in history, holding the record for the most medals at the World Championships since World War II. She has won seven gold medals and 14 overall medals in just 17 individual events since 2013.
Breezy Johnson also shared her excitement online, highlighting how great it is to compete together again after so many years.
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