Mikaela Shiffrin gets 'big relief' with super-G finish

Mikaela Shiffrin following her run in the women's super-G at the 2022 Winter Olympics. - Credit: Imagn

Mikaela Shiffrin following her run in the women's super-G at the 2022 Winter Olympics. – Credit: Imagn

Mikaela Shiffrin has finally found her footing at the 2022 Winter Olympics after finishing ninth in the women’s super-G.

Despite not contending for a medal, the result delivered an enormous boost of confidence for the 26-year-old Alpine skiing great after she stunningly skied out in her two best events – the giant slalom and slalom – earlier at the Winter Games.

“To be honest that was quite a big relief,” Shiffrin said following her super-G run. “I think today I proved to myself that I can still trust my instincts a bit, and that’s really, really huge.”

Shiffrin, who had never before entered an Olympic super-G race, started the day with a tweet. “Today is Super G, and Super G is fun. I can’t express how grateful I am to have the opportunity to refocus on a new race, in the sport that I love so much,” the American star wrote.

She seemed to embody that attitude during the race, skiing relaxed and in control, if not blisteringly fast. She was all smiles at the finish area, then enthusiastically radioed course intel up to her three American teammates who were waiting for their turns down the course.

While Shiffrin was always an outside medal contender in super-G – she hadn’t raced or trained in the event for over nine weeks prior to arriving in Beijing – her participation kept alive the chance that she could compete in all five individual events at the Winter Olympics.

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