In pursuit of her 100th World Cup championship, Mikaela Shiffrin lost control of her skis on her second run in the World Cup race. Reports stated that Shiffrin lost the grip on her outside ski, causing her to hit a gate, roll into a somersault, and slide into another gate before coming to an abrupt stop.
Having won six of the seven World Cup races that have been held in Killington, VA, Shiffrin has secured quite the legacy for herself in such races; proving her athleticism and her mind for the sport.
Hailing from Edwards, Colo., Shiffrin has been considered a professional in her sport since her early years. She has been a member of the U.S. Olympic Alpine Team since 2011; her first World Cup victory coming at age 16 in her rookie season. At just 29 years old, Shiffrin has a most impressive list of achievements ranging from World Cup championships to Olympic gold medals.
Shiffrin is considered to be "one of the greatest Alpine skiers in history," ranked No. 44 amongst ESPN's top 100 athletes in the last 25 years.
Following the accident, Shiffrin reassured fans via social media that she was doing well, only having suffered a puncture wound in her abdomen and severe muscle trauma. She even apologized to the spectators and fans for causing worry in her spill down the mountain.
Quick update. Thank you for your cheers and support. Wishing the best of luck to my teammates tomorrow!! I’ll be cheering from the sidelines on this one.🙏❤️ pic.twitter.com/5siYwSFxMT
As a result of the puncture wound, Shiffrin was unable to move, lying still for many minutes immediately following her crash. Emergency responders took her off the mountain on a sled, transferring her to an ambulance where she was fully evaluated.
Miraculously, Shiffrin did not suffer any broken bones, and there have been no reports of any head trauma.
As of Sunday, there has been no report of when Shiffrin might return, and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team will be keeping fans updated on her condition. Upon returning to the snow, there is no doubt that Shiffrin will continue her pursuit of 100 World Cups.
Sara Hector, a Swedish alpine skier, pulled off Saturday's slalom win following Shiffrin's accident; a race that Hector was not favored to win.
Shiffrin extended her well-wishes to her fellow teammates for Sunday's giant slalom race, and said she would be "cheering from the sidelines on this one." More updates on Shiffrin's condition will be forth coming, but the outlook is very bright following Saturday's events.
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