Mikaela Shiffrin fifth in the women’s combined after downhill

Mikaela Shiffrin reacts to her performance in the downhill portion of the women's combined event at the 2022 Winter Olympics. - Credit: Getty Images

Mikaela Shiffrin reacts to her performance in the downhill portion of the women's combined event at the 2022 Winter Olympics. – Credit: Getty Images

Mikaela Shiffrin put herself firmly in contention for her first medal of the 2022 Winter Olympics with a strong downhill run to start women’s combined event.

Shiffrin skied The Rock downhill course in 1:32.98, the fifth-best time of the field. She was 0.56 back of Austria’s Christine Scheyer in the top spot.

After a two-hour break, the combined event will conclude with a slalom run. Times are added together between downhill and slalom to determine each athlete’s final ranking in the event.

On paper, Shiffrin, who is the most accomplished slalom skier in history, has a distinct advantage in the second half of the event.