Sometimes, the real battle begins after the fall, doesn’t it? Mikaela Shiffrin has spent over a decade trying to redefine Alpine skiing, amassing 100 World Cup wins, two Olympic golds, and several other titles. But after a brutal crash in November in Killington, Vermont, left her with a deep puncture wound and battling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the greatest skier of her generation faced an unfamiliar challenge:
DOUBT!
She fought back, returned to the circuit, and won again. She should have felt complete standing atop the podium after her 100th World Cup victory. But something was missing. “It feels like I have more in me,” she admitted in a candid interview with CNN when asked what comes next or how many seasons remain!
But for Shiffrin, whose November crash was the latest one after Cortina d’Ampezzo, Mikaela Shiffrin’s high-speed crash forced her off the slopes for six weeks, had reservations as well: “But with this latest injury, there’s also a part of me that wonders if I am going to be able to get back to that level.”
Mikaela Shiffrin’s 100th World Cup win in Sestriere, Italy, isn’t the end of a journey—it’s a turning point. The milestones, the records, and the external expectations have faded into the background. Now, it’s about something deeper: rediscovering what drives her.
“It is really just about diving within myself to see what’s now possible after everything else just happened,” she reflected. For years, the competition was about results—winning, setting records, proving something. But now, the pressure has shifted inward. What does she still want from the sport? What’s left to chase and where’s the motivation stemming from?
Her words suggest a transformation, not an ending. “There is this feeling of 100 almost being like resetting to 0,” she explained. Instead of looking back at all she has accomplished, she sees an opportunity to start fresh. “That idea of resetting the sport… I feel like I am resetting myself a little bit.”
Rather than mapping out an exact plan for the future, Shiffrin embraces uncertainty, letting her passion guide her. “I am hoping, I am hoping to, I guess, ride that wave and see where it goes,” she said. Some would say Shiffrin might leave her skiing career.
Mikaela Shiffrin clears the air on life after her skiing
At 29 years old, Shiffrin has already cemented herself as the greatest female skier in history. Winning her first World Cup slalom at just 16 and becoming the youngest Olympic slalom champion at 18, fans knew she was the next big thing. By hitting all the doubters out of the ballpark, she now holds the record for the most World Cup wins by any female skier. But records, as monumental as they are, may not be what defines her next move.
Reflecting on her illustrious career, Shiffrin shared a deeper perspective on her future. “I guess I just want to exist in life … with honesty and having kindness for others and a willingness to be open to others,” she said in an interview with GearJunkie last year.
Her vision isn’t just about legacy—it’s about accessibility. Skiing has been her life’s greatest gift, and now she wants to open that world to others. “I suppose that’s not really about legacy, but I am really passionate, obviously, about this sport.”
She added, “And I’m becoming more and more passionate about trying to share it with the world as much as possible and make it more accessible to more people because it’s been such a gift in my life.” Have you tried skiing? It’s fun to be honest!
“I feel like that’s a gift that a lot of people could benefit from physically, mentally, emotionally,” she explained. The records will stand. The trophies will shine. But for Shiffrin, the real victory lies in what she builds beyond the racecourse.
Whether she continues to compete or steps away, her mission is clear—to ensure skiing doors are open to everyone. A legend has reached 100. But her greatest work may just begin!
The post Suffering From PTSD, Mikaela Shiffrin Confirms Potential Retirement Plans After 100th Skiing WC Win appeared first on EssentiallySports.
