Mikaela Shiffrin faces PTSD ghosts while preparing for Milan-Cortina

Even the most seasoned athletes can hit a rough patch and find themselves wrestling with personal battles tied to their sport. That’s been the case for Mikaela Shiffrin—one of the snow’s greatest icons. Following a terrifying accident on the slopes, Shiffrin now carries lingering trauma and internal struggles.

With 101 World Cup victories in alpine skiing and a medal collection most countries would envy, Mikaela Shiffrin is rightly regarded as a legend. But no number of wins or flashing cameras could prevent fear from creeping in after a fall that nearly turned tragic.

The fall of Mikaela Shiffrin

In November 2024, during a top-tier competition, Mikaela Shiffrin collided with one of the gates on the course. The impact left her with a sharp wound just millimeters from vital organs. “The million-dollar question is how it happened,” Shiffrin admitted. The crash felt like a stab, she said—a violent jolt that left a mark far deeper than bruises.

Though Mikaela Shiffrin returned to skiing in January, the comeback wasn’t what she had envisioned. Her training and performance took a hit as she began to experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida de The Players’ Tribune (@playerstribune)

Mikaela Shiffrin herself has described flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, and anxiety—all common buzzwords in the sports world, sure. But these aren’t just terms—this has become Shiffrin’s everyday reality as she works through each of them.

More than just a fall

What many saw as just another fall was, for Mikaela Shiffrin, a transformative experience. It still travels with her, embedded in every snowy descent. And yet, she credits the support of her team and the resilience gained from years as a high-performance athlete. “Life teaches you how to overcome things, but it also teaches you when to slow down,” Shiffrin reflected.

With the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on the horizon, Mikaela Shiffrin is back in training, physically preparing herself—while also working to nurture patience, balance, and self-compassion.