Mikaela Shiffrin medals in all 4 events at ski worlds – The Durango Herald

United States’ Mikaela Shiffrin competes throughout a girls’s slalom on the alpine ski World Championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

Gabriele Facciotti/Related Press

United States’ Mikaela Shiffrin exhibits her bronze medal on the rostrum of the ladies’s slalom on the alpine ski World Championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

Giovanni Auletta/Related Press

United States’ Mikaela Shiffrin competes through the girls’s slalom on the alpine ski World Championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

Gabriele Facciotti/Related Press

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – An ear-to-ear smile. No regrets. And one other medal wrapped round her neck.

What a refreshing sight it was to see Mikaela Shiffrin basking within the afternoon daylight after one other profitable day within the Italian Dolomites.

Make {that a} profitable world championships.

After amassing her fourth medal in as many races Saturday by taking bronze within the concluding slalom, the American skier was requested if she was content material with how all the things went over these two weeks.

“Sure. That’s an enormous, resounding sure,” Shiffrin replied. “I imply that’s unimaginable. I had deliberate for 4 races and I assumed, ‘OK, that’s 4 possibilities for a medal. Hopefully someplace in these two weeks I can do some good snowboarding.’ And I’m actually happy with a lot of the snowboarding I did.”

It wasn’t simply the snowboarding, although.

Seemingly weighed down by her personal expectations and out of doors stress at previous worlds and Olympics, Shiffrin by no means appeared in the slightest degree disturbed in Cortina.

“Daily had one thing actually particular, and it’s one thing to smile about,” she mentioned.

One good second was this: Having simply seen her document streak of 4 straight slalom world titles ended by Austrian upstart Katharina Liensberger in emphatic style, Shiffrin was the primary racer to run over and congratulate the brand new champion.

“If this was final yr, I might be possibly disillusioned however not as grateful for the great moments within the day,” Shiffrin mentioned, referring to her practically two-second deficit behind Liensberger.

This season, although, is a distinct one for Shiffrin. She took a 10-month break from racing final yr after the dying of her father, Jeff Shiffrin, then had her comeback slowed by the coronavirus pandemic and a again harm.

No marvel she wasn’t about to decide to taking the identical, extra relaxed method to subsequent yr’s Beijing Olympics.

“I wish to,” she mentioned. “It simply completely depends upon how subsequent season goes main as much as that. As a result of I can really feel superb now, with mentality after which that completely modifications. I really feel like this previous yr lasted like 20 years. So I don’t know what’s in retailer for the following yr. However I think about it’s going to be eventful.”

Having by no means earlier than entered so many races at a worlds or Olympics, Shiffrin leaves Cortina with gold in mixed, silver in large slalom and bronze in super-G and slalom.

Maybe much more outstanding is that Shiffrin has now medaled in 10 straight races at worlds — and in 11 of her 13 profession begins at her subsequent largest occasion after the Olympics.

“I do have a protected now,” she mentioned. “So I’ll in all probability put (the medals) in there. Or possibly grasp them up.

“I wish to put the globes (the crystal globes for World Cup titles) round the home, as a result of they’re tremendous fairly. However folks ask to see the medals and I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, certain, I’ll go get them.’ However in any other case it simply looks as if an entire lot of worth for me to probably lose. So simply put them someplace the place you simply don’t contact it.”

Whereas Shiffrin confirmed spectacular velocity final week in her first super-G race in additional than a yr, she received’t be competing when the World Cup resumes subsequent weekend in close by Val di Fassa with two downhills and a super-G.

“No, I’ve acquired to go shave two seconds off my slalom,” she mentioned with a smile.

Related Press author Eric Willemsen contributed to this report.