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Mikaela Shiffrin, the American alpine skiing champion with a record-breaking number of World Cup wins, owes a significant part of her success to her parents Eileen and Jeff Shiffrin. The two were also passionate skiers, who nurtured Mikaela's love for the sport from a young age.
Born in Vail, Colorado, in 1995, Mikaela Shiffrin showed great promise in skiing at a very early age. Her parents noticed her talent early on and never stopped believing in her. This went a long way in helping Mikaela fall in love with skiing and inculcating the necessary level of discipline.
One thing that both of her parents shared was a passion for skiing. Eileen, who was from Massachusetts, had been a national masters champion. Jeff, from New Jersey, was the one who developed his skiing skills on trips to Vermont at the weekend along with his family and even competed in this field during his undergraduate years at Dartmouth College. Indeed, their common interest in the sport had a deep impact on Mikaela Shiffrin to achieve success.
Eileen, a nurse by training, made a big decision to put her career behind to accompany Mikaela. She became a coach and adviser who provided constant support and encouragement to her daughter.
Jeff, an anesthesiologist, used his scientific knowledge when devising methods of training Mikaela, in which he placed more emphasis on mental focus and reducing distraction during the races.
More About Mikaela Shiffrin: The USA Alpine skiing legend
Mikaela Shiffrin won 17 medals worldwide with two golds and a silver in the Olympic Winter Games and seven golds, four silvers, and three bronzes at the World Championship competitions. She has placed on the podium 17 times at both the Olympic Games and the World Championships.
Mikaela won six gold medals in a row at the World Championships between 2013) and 2023. At the 2021 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Mikaela made history by winning the gold medal in the combined, as she became the first skier to win a gold medal at five consecutive World Championships. She became the first athlete to win four consecutive world titles in slalom from 2013 to 2019.
In February 2020, Mikaela's world was shattered by the sudden death of her father, Jeff, in a car crash that occurred in their Colorado home. Indeed, she suffered both personally and professionally because of this enormous loss. Nevertheless, Mikaela found strength in her family's love and support, and the skiing community as well. She went back on the slopes with renewed power after some time.
Mikaela Shiffrin's story is not just of an individual with talent and athletic prowess. It is a testimony to the never-ending support of the family bound by a common passion.
It was Eileen's dedication and Jeff's guidance, both on and off the slopes that had the greatest impact on Mikaela's career and her journey to the status of one of the most outstanding alpine ski racers of all time.
