After the end of the slalom, Mikaela Shiffrin sat alone next to the track for several minutes and pressed his head in the crook of his arm in disappointment. Again, the American was eliminated early. Like a few days earlier in giant slalom, when she failed after seven goals.
This time in the slalom, her fourth goal was fatal. Here, too, the 26-year-old started as the big favorite for the gold medal. In addition to Olympic gold in 2014, she won four world titles and 47 World Cup victories here – more than any other woman in any discipline. “It doesn’t take anything away from her still outstanding career. This one race doesn’t change that.”her compatriot Lindsey Vonn told NBC
Biggest chances of gold over
It is extremely rare for Shiffrin to drop out. For example, this happened to her in a giant slalom four years ago. Since then she has been on the podium 17 times in 27 World Cup starts and has won eight times, won bronze and silver at the World Championships and Olympic gold. “But this snow,” she said of the artificial base on the Xiaohaituo, “is unforgiving.”