SHIFFRIN MELTS AWAY PAIN FREEZE

In The Spotlight

- Kimberly Kwek Sports Correspondent

The United States' Mikaela Shiffrin expressing her joy after the slalom at Levi in Finland, where she won her 102nd World Cup race and ninth reindeer.

(PHOTO: AFP)

Mikaela Shiffrin has more in common with Santa Claus than one may think - both are deeply at home in the snow, carve their way through wintry landscapes at high speeds, and now each has a herd of nine reindeer.

After winning the season’s first World Cup slalom race at Levi in Finland on Nov 15, Shiffrin’s stable grew to nine, following a tradition in which the victor at the venue is rewarded with a reindeer, which is kept at a farm.

This latest addition named Winkie joins the likes of Rudolph, Sven, Mr Gru, Ingemar, Sunny, Lorax, Grogu and Rori, a quirky testament to Shiffrin’s growing legacy in the sport, with a record 102 World Cup victories already to the 30-year-old American's name.

But her latest triumph forms only one chapter of a larger story - one defined not just by her dominance on the slopes, but also the resilience required to confront personal struggles off them.

The past year has tested Shiffrin like never before. In November 2024, what had looked set to become a historic moment in Killington, Vermont - the site of what could have been her 100th World Cup win — instead became one of the most harrowing days of her career.

Leading the second leg of a giant slalom race, she crashed out near the end of the run, somersaulting into the safety nets. The impact left her with a puncture wound and muscle damage to her stomach.

In her sport, pain is a familiar companion.