Experienced sports journalist Richard Deitsch offers a global perspective on the Olympic Games.
Did you realize that aside from Canada’s thrilling overtime victory against Czechia, there were other notable events during the Milano-Cortina Games on Wednesday?
Indeed, there were. However, we acknowledge if you are still riding the high of Canada’s remarkable win.
While Canada advances in hockey, American skier Mikaela Shiffrin concludes her Olympic journey on a high note after securing the women’s slalom gold medal. This achievement marks a significant milestone, erasing any prior doubts about her Olympic success and ending an eight-year gold medal drought.
In a standout performance, Shiffrin clinched the slalom title with a remarkable 1.50-second lead over Camille Rast of Switzerland, marking the largest winning margin in Olympic alpine skiing since 1998. She now holds the distinction of being the first U.S. skier with three Olympic gold medals and the youngest (at 18 in 2014) and oldest (at 30 in 2026) American woman to secure an alpine gold medal.
Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States emerges victorious in the women’s slalom at Milano Cortina 2026, securing the fourth Olympic medal of her career (three gold and one silver).
Shiffrin had faced disappointments in recent Olympics, notably in Beijing four years ago with no medals, followed by an 11th place in giant slalom and a fourth-place finish in the team combined event in Cortina. However, her narrative took a turn with the slalom event, aligning expectations with reality.
Prior to the race, Shiffrin had prepared an Instagram post, which she shared after her victorious moment.
Anticipated Highlights on Thursday
Thursday promises to be a stellar day at the Milano-Cortina Olympics, featuring top global athletes competing across various arenas. The spotlight will shine brightest at the Milano Ice Skating Arena during the women’s singles free skate. Japan’s Ami Nakai, aged just 17, led the short program with a season’s best score of 78.71, ahead of three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto and American Alysa Liu.</