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Mikaela Shiffrin try to smile. But it’s visibly difficult for her when the 25-year-old sits in her hotel room in Levi, Finland on Thursday and is connected to international media via Zoom Call. On Saturday Shiffrin will make his return to the World Cup in Lapland, and on Sunday he will also start in the slalom. In the past two years he had triumphed at Levi. But this time it is easier to answer the question of whether it will snow on Christmas Eve than that of Shiffrin’s form.
Try to meet your expectations “Bass“hold on, says the American. In light of what has happened, it’s probably not useful anyway”,any expectations“have. But she wants”good skiing“and that’s where it belongs too”fast skiing” for.
Saturday will be exactly 300 days since he won the Super-G in Bansko, Bulgaria on January 26th. It was his last race so far. And it was a completely different moment for Mikaela Pauline Shiffrin. His life was simple and carefree. What it has been through since then has left its mark. “Spring, summer and fall have been the most stressful times of my life“, underlines Shiffrin. She is emotional”tired out“.
My father dies a week after winning the World Cup
A week after his World Cup victory in Bulgaria, his father Jeff suffered severe head trauma in an accident at home in Colorado. Mikaela and her mother Eileen immediately returned from Germany to the United States and cried together in bed when the head of the family died on February 2. Shiffrin canceled all races in February but wanted to get back on the tracks in early March. Skiing, therefore their hope, could “a therapeutic effect” to have.
But when it arrived in Are, Sweden, the World Cup season was canceled prematurely due to the coronavirus. The fact that Shiffrin hadn’t won the World Cup for the first time since 2016 was a side note for her at best. The outstanding skier of recent years hasn’t had time to reflect on her season. She had to take care of all the things her father did for her from Colorado while her daughter toured from the World Cup to the World Cup.
“Finally catch up on lost sleep“
Shiffrin attended intensive courses in economics, finance and investments. She has learned a lot in recent months, cried a lot and slept little. He’s been in Finland since Monday. And for the first time in a long time, Shiffrin has this feeling “Now finally to catch up on lost sleep. Here in Levi it’s always quite dark and I can’t stop sleeping.“
Due to back problems, Shiffrin had to overcome the opening round of the World Cup in Sölden at the end of October. The ailments have healed and Shiffrin is “grateful to be here and to start over.“You see the races”like a break. Like going on vacation.“
Psyche as “great unknown”
For the first time, she is not the reigning champion in the overall World Cup nor one of the favorites. And anyway, only plan from race to race. Shiffrin usually trained all alpine disciplines in the pre-season. This time, however, there was only time for the slalom. “My eye tells me it is in good shape“, underlines coach Mike Day. But he knows that in Shiffrin, what matters most right now is what no one can see with the naked eye: the psyche that Day calls”great unknowns“designated.
In a 30-minute conversation with the media, Shiffrin gives an insight into his thoughts. Sometimes it repels tears. She was “incredibly angry“that her father died. And she was”angry, like alone“She feels like she has been in many days. On the other hand, she is very grateful to have her mother with her very often,” Shiffrin said.
In the past ten months he has learned a lot about the meaning of resilience. Ultimately, according to Shiffrin, this is just “synonymous with life“and they have nothing to do with how strong you are. Sometimes” resilience “just means”get back on your feet.“And sometimes just being”getting out of bed“an example of this. Or in your case: put on your skis and go back to the World Cup.
Stand: 20.11.2020, 09:35
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