Facts You Need to Know About Mikaela Shiffrin

Records, Records, Records

Mikaela Shiffrin skier stands for superlatives - in other words: she chases record after record. These are her achievments so far:

• In 2019 she surpassed the record of Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark in the number of slalom races won. Stenmark managed 40 - Shiffrin now has 46 (as of 12/2021).
• In 2014, she became the youngest athlete (male or female) to win Olympic gold in Sochi.
• At the end of 2018, she became the first skier to win a race in all six World Cup disciplines.
• In 2019, she stood at the top of the podium in slalom for the fourth consecutive World Cup - no one before her achieved that either.
• That same year she won 17 World Cups in a season, the record previously held by Vreni Schneider with 14 wins.
• This year, at the World Championships in Cortina, Shiffrin became the first skier to win at least one gold medal in five consecutive World Championships.
• Just a few more wins and Shiffrin has caught up with Lindsey Vonn, who has the most World Cups won on her record so far.
• All in all she has won two olympic gold medals and seven gold medals in alpine world cups so far.

An Abbreviation as a Declaration of War on Men

ABFTTB - the abbreviation on Mikaela Shiffrin's helmet is a declaration of war. "Always Be Faster Than The Boys" is what the combination of letters means in full. Mikaela's older brother Taylor also felt this. To beat him in skiing was always the top goal of the young Mikaela. At some point she succeeded without any problems. Whenever possible, Shiffrin trains with the men. In her own estimation, she could be in the top 30 of the men's ski circus.

Family person through and Through

Mikaela Shiffrin is a family person through and through. Her parents were both ski instructors and put their daughter on skis at an age when most children can just about walk reasonably. Parental drill is not uncommonly the downside of great sports careers. But in Mikaela Shiffrin's case, it seems to have been more pleasure than coercion. In any case, Mikaela still has her mother, Eileen, mentoring her to this day. She is her coach and confidante, and for years made sure that school was not neglected during her travels with the ski circus. The rock of the family was father Jeff, who held down the fort at home in Colorado during the season. When Jeff Shiffrin fell from the roof of the family home while working in early 2020 and succumbed to his head injuries soon after, the family's life stood still for a moment. "The unexpected death of my kind-hearted, loving, caring, patient, wonderful father has broken my entire family's heart," Mikaela Shiffrin wrote at the time. She interrupted her season, giving away the victory in the overall World Cup and Slalom World Cup. But then she also very consciously returned to skiing - she wanted to make some good turns, "and I think that would make my father happy".

How Convenient! The Boyfriend Also Skis

Well, if that's not practical: Mikaela Shiffrin's boyfriend also skis. Alexander Aamodt Kilde is the man at the superstar's side since this year. The two have known each other for a few years, and this year things really started to spark between the American and the Norwegian. The 29-year-old winner of the men's overall World Cup 2019/2020 seems to be really fired up by his new girlfriend. After a cruciate ligament tear set him back, Kilde is now back in front. 

She's "Sir naps a lot"

Mikaela Shiffrin has the curious nickname "Sir naps a lot". She earned it through her desire to nap. Her mother is a trained nurse, her father a doctor - both would have always stressed the importance of good nutrition and sufficient sleep. Mikaela dutifully puts this into practice. "I love taking naps," she says. In addition to a very regular night's sleep, she allows herself two hours of rest during the day. She strictly adheres to set times and her personal bedding. A comfortable pillow and "the softest blanket I've ever felt" always travel with her. The blanket was a Christmas present - she's afraid she won't be able to sleep if she loses it.

A Little Dance in Honor

Mikaela Shiffrin is first and foremost known as an incredibly ambitious and hard-working athlete. But she doesn't just have that one talent. Shiffrin plays the piano and guitar, sings and loves word search games. But most of all, she loves to dance. She sometimes shows how well she can dance after her victories. Then she is more elegant in ski boots than some others in ballet shoes. US presenter Jimmy Fallon has also had dancing lessons from the skier.

The Face of Adidas

Great athlete - great sponsor: Mikaela Shiffrin has been under contract with Adidas since 2019. Since this year she is the locomotive for the Terrex collection, with which the company enters the alpine skiing. The deal brings her millions. But that the account of such a superstar is full, is no surprise.

The success of Mikaela Shiffrin today allows us to look at the skier with respect. The athlete makes an effort to achieve her goals, and she does it well. The appearance of new Mikaela Shiffrin news perfectly confirms the strength of spirit and the girl's desire to win.