17-Year-Old Wins World Slalom Title
17-year-old Mikaela Shiffrin won the world slalom title at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Schladming, Australia.
Shiffrin came from behind to win the gold medal in the final weekend of the world championships. The US teen will certainly be one to watch at next year’s Sochi Olympics.
The teenager beat out Sweden’s Frida Hansdotter, who won bronze, and Austria’s Michaela Kirchgasser, who took silver, reports USA Today.
Shiffrin’s was the fourth gold medal won for the USA at worlds. She also became the third-youngest woman to win the slalom world championship. The accomplishment earner her high praise from Julia Mancuso, also from the USA, who won a bronze medal in the giant slalom.
Mancuso tweeted out, “Not bad for a teenager! Congrats.” Mikaela Shiffrin is 17 years and 340 days old. The only women’s slalom world champions younger than her are Hanni Wenzel from Liechtenstein and Esme Mackinnon from Great Britain. They won in 1974 and 1931 respectively.
Yahoo! News notes that Mikaela was understandably emotional after her win. She stated, “It’s such a crazy day. It’s so emotional… I don’t know yet, I can’t feel yet. It’s amazing.”
Shiffrin added that her inspiration came from teammate Ted Ligety. The US men’s skier won the super-G, super-combined, and GS titles. The 17-year-old also leads this season’s discipline standings. She has won three World Cup slaloms this season of the seven slalom races she has competed in. No other woman has won more than one time.
Mikaela Shiffrin’s world slalom title win will air on NBC at 3 om ET.
[Image via Beelde Photography / Shutterstock.com]
