Mikaela Shiffrin didn't step onto the podium in Sunday's women's giant slalom at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but the American star walked away encouraged. In one of the tightest Olympic giant slalom races in recent memory, Shiffrin finished 11th - just three-tenths of a second shy of a silver-medal time at Milano Cortina.
On a sunlit course beneath the Dolomites, the margins were razor-thin. Italy's Federica Brignone claimed gold, while Sara Hector of Sweden and Norway's Thea Louise Stjernesund shared silver with identical times. Behind them, the field was separated by mere hundredths of a second, and Shiffrin was firmly within reach.
"To be here now like within touch of the fastest women, that's huge for me," Shiffrin said after the race. "So I'm proud of that."
Considering her recent journey, perspective shapes the result. Shiffrin has worked her way back following a serious crash in late 2024 that left her with a punctured abdomen and shaken confidence. While she remains dominant in slalom - already securing another World Cup season title - giant slalom has been a slower rebuild. She has not won a GS race since 2023, but her consistency has steadily improved this season.
Sunday's performance suggested that intensity is returning. Shiffrin described the event as one of the most competitive GS races in years, emphasizing how close the field truly was.
Her strongest opportunity in Italy may still come in Wednesday's slalom, her signature discipline. Yet even without a medal in giant slalom, the signs point upward.
In previous seasons, Shiffrin has openly referenced leaning on faith during difficult stretches, once sharing about "letting go and letting God" and finding strength in Christian friends. That steady mindset appears to be guiding her approach in Milano Cortina - trusting the process, even when the podium isn't immediate.
Her Olympic story this year is not defined by one race. And it isn't finished yet.
