Bold claim: Mikaela Shiffrin’s Olympic gold drought continues, as she misses the podium in women’s giant slalom at Milano Cortina 2026.
But here’s where it gets interesting: even when her runs are clean, the competition remains fierce, and small margins decide the medals at the Olympics. Shiffrin finished 11th with a total time of 2:14.42, showing solid skiing but not enough speed to crack the podium. After her second run, she didn’t display visible frustration—she blew a cheeky sigh and waved to fans in the grandstands, signaling sportsmanship and composure rather than disappointment.
Shiffrin, 30, continues to be the most successful athlete on the World Cup circuit, yet she has not earned a medal in eight straight Olympic events since the 2018 Games in PyeongChang. The gold went to Italy’s Federica Brignone, who earned her second Olympic gold of these Games and her fifth Olympic medal overall. Notably, Brignone’s victory was part of a dramatic moment: Sweden’s Sara Hector and Norway’s Thea Stjernesund posted identical times in both runs, effectively splitting the silver in a rare tiebreakable scenario.
As Brignone crossed the finish line to raucous home-country cheers, Hector and Stjernesund greeted the champion in the finish area and bowed, while fans chanted “Fede” in a grand show of national pride.
Shiffrin reflected on the moment: “That was, like, the greatest show of GS skiing that we’ve had in a really long time. And to do it, you know, at the Olympics where people actually have eyes on the sport. Federica skied incredible. That was so cool to watch.”
For Shiffrin, redemption could come in her best event, the slalom, scheduled for Wednesday, following the team event where she and Breezy Johnston finished fourth in the women’s team combined—an outcome that left room for upcoming opportunities.
Context and contributors: This coverage is part of CBS News’ Olympic, Italy, skiing, and Milan coverage, with reporting help from the Associated Press.
Would you like to dive into a quick breakdown of how course design and conditions at Milano Cortina 2026 impacted times in the women’s giant slalom, or explore Shiffrin’s adaptation strategy across events this season?
