December 1st 2024.
On Saturday, during a giant slalom race at Killington, Mikaela Shiffrin took a scary fall that resulted in a deep puncture wound on the right side of her abdomen and severe muscle trauma. Luckily, there was no serious damage to her bones, ligaments, or organs. However, the five-time overall World Cup champion had to sit out of the following day's slalom race, and there is no set timeline for her return to racing, according to a statement from the U.S. Ski Team.
Shiffrin was in the lead after the first run of the GS, aiming for her 100th World Cup win. As she approached the finish line on her second run, the 29-year-old leaned into the hill but lost her edge and tumbled head over skis into a gate before crashing into another one. She then came to a stop in the protective fencing.
The athlete stayed down on the side of the course for a significant amount of time, requesting a sled to take her down. In a statement, Shiffrin revealed that she was in shock and unable to move due to concerns about potential internal organ trauma. She was transported by ambulance to a medical center, where doctors determined that she had no ligament damage and her bones and organs were unharmed. However, she did suffer severe muscle trauma and a deep puncture wound on her right side, which did not require stitches due to the risk of infection.
Throughout her 14-year career, Shiffrin has recovered from two previous injuries sustained on the slopes: a torn medial collateral ligament and bone bruising in her right knee in 2015 and a sprained MCL and tibiofibular ligament in her left knee in 2024. In both cases, she was back to racing within two months without needing surgery.
Due to the crash, Shiffrin was unable to attend the slalom race on Sunday, which she has dominated in the past. She has won six out of the seven times she has competed in the slalom at Killington, making her a fan favorite at the venue. Growing up in New Hampshire and Colorado, Shiffrin honed her skills at nearby Burke Mountain Academy.
Unfortunately, the athlete was unable to attend the race in person as she was still sore from the fall and having difficulty walking. However, the team's statement assured that she will be cheering on her teammates loudly from her spot in Killington.
In other sports news, Shiffrin's fall was not the only headline in Denver this week. Other notable events include Troy Tulowitzki, Larry Brown, and Shiffrin herself being inducted into the Colorado Hall of Fame, her teammate Lindsey Vonn being welcomed into the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, and Shiffrin winning her 98th career victory in a World Cup slalom race earlier this year.
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