BEIJING (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin threw her head again and laughed on the considered coming into the utmost Alpine snowboarding occasions imaginable on the Beijing Olympics — six — which she showed Tuesday she’s meaning to do.
She jokingly known as it “a in reality dangerous concept.”
After coming in 18th within the downhill, about 2 1/2 seconds in the back of gold medalist Corinne Suter of Switzerland, Shiffrin appeared forward to taking part within the mixed race on Thursday and the crew match that wraps up the Alpine agenda on Saturday.
Her Olympics thus far: She didn’t end the enormous slalom or the slalom and was once 9th within the super-G, prior to being the second-fastest American within the downhill, one spot in the back of Keely Cashman.
Shiffrin’s two profession Iciness Video games golds have been within the slalom in 2014 and the enormous slalom in 2018; she additionally earned a silver within the mixed 4 years in the past and may just contend once more. That self-discipline provides the days from one downhill run and one slalom run.
She is some distance much less skilled within the downhill, and she or he mentioned Tuesday’s race as though it constituted a type of preparation, calling it “some other run below my belt for the approaching days.”
“It’s simply necessary with the intention to compartmentalize the downhill run — absolutely center of attention at the downhill run — after which get started the slalom portion of the day as though it’s a brand new day. And that’s in reality onerous to do,” the 26-year-old from Colorado stated. “Mixed days are lengthy and the occasions may just now not be extra reverse. It’s like doing two other sports activities in a single unmarried day, in order that’s the largest problem: Attempt to execute a downhill after which simply let the downhill pass and execute the slalom.”
When she is at her highest, she is likely one of the maximum flexible ski racers there are. That’s a part of why she has achieved up to she has, together with 3 total Global Cup titles.
However Shiffrin has now not produced her highest in Beijing.
“I imply, at the moment, not anything is assured. And that’s the No. 1 lesson that I feel many of us be told on the Olympic Video games — that there’s no ensure for anything else. Now not for efficiency or effects,” she stated. “However I feel on a daily basis that I am getting in this observe and I’m in a position to take a run, and do just a cast run most sensible to backside, it offers me the risk to be a bit bit extra calm in my thoughts. I have a tendency to suppose method an excessive amount of and that makes it onerous to ski freely.”
