“It could have been worse,” U.S. team coach Paul Kristofic provides positive update on Mikaela Shiffrin’s TERRIFYING crash at skiing World Cup

2x Olympian Mikaela Shiffrin provided a positive update on her well-being after a severe crash at the skiing World Cup.

“It could have been worse,” U.S. team coach Paul Kristofic provides positive update on Mikaela Shiffrin’s TERRIFYING crash at skiing World Cup

Mikaela Shiffrin [Image Credit: YT]

U.S. team coach Paul Kristofic provided a positive update on Mikaela Shiffrin’s horrifying crash. The 2x Olympic gold medalist lost control during an airborne jump at the skiing World Cup, resulting in a horrible crash on the side. Thankfully, it seems she is not severely injured, although she may unfortunately miss the rest of the week’s events.

As of now, no further updates have been given on her return date. Shiffrin crashed into the safety nets after her fall. Medics immediately attended her and boarded her on a helicopter down the mountain. After her fall it was reported she could not put any weight on her left leg.

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Later upon further checkup at the hospital, it was revealed that Shiffrin avoided serious injury. Her ACL and PCL didn’t seem hurt and she’ll be back on the slopes sometime soon. Kristofic noted, “She’s actually quite good” and it’s a relief “she’s positive”. “It could have been worse” as one may know the dangers of speed crashing on slopes. 

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Mikaela Shiffrin on her social media platform noted that she’ll provide further information at a later date and is thankful for all the love and support from her team and fans. She also gave a shoutout to the speed team for doing amazing at the event, “Congrats everyone, can’t wait to watch the rest of the weekend.”

Very thankful it’s not worse, but I’m pretty sore at the moment. I won’t be skiing the rest of this weekend.
Mikaela Shiffrin on X.

Skiing crash hazards and it’s harsh implications on an athlete’s life

Following Mikaela Shiffrin’s accident, she will not be participating for the remainder of the weekend. It’s unclear when she’ll return, but it’ll be after she has completely recovered from the crash. Currently at 95 World Cup wins, she remains at the top of the skiing world and will return in action in 2026 for further Cup collection.

Mikaela Shiffrin
Mikaela Shiffrin (Pic via People)

Just a week back, Shiffrin’s boyfriend Aleksander Ammodt Khilde suffered from a major crash in a downhill race. The incident happened in Wengen where he crashed into safety nets during a World Cup event. Khilde commented, “The sport can be brutal, but I still love it.” Shiffrin supported his boyfriend during his tough time and now it is his turn to be by her side.

Lindsey Vonn, the skiing queen, is also one of the athletes who had to end her career early due to injuries and several surgeries. She was forced to withdraw from further events, finally retiring in 2019. She stated that she called it quits when she realized that the risk “outweighed” the reward.

Recently, there have also been updates on German skier Thomas Dressen, 30, who is said to be retiring due to lingering effects of injuries, as per ESPN. His last race is expected to take place on Saturday at Kitzbuehel. Although, the statement from the German ski federation only confirmed he’s retiring, but did not specify any dates for now.

Skiing, just like other sports carries the horrors of lingering injuries. Crashing on high-speed downhill or falling due to slip during maneuver have many a time cost an athlete their career. All the best wishes and prayers are there for athletes suffering from injuries and wishing for their healthy return to their sport.

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