When Mikaela Shiffrin crashed during the giant slalom event at the Beijing Winter Olympics, she aimed to remain focused. She talked about competing at the highest level for the slalom event; the event in which she won the Olympic gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Surprisingly though, she wasn’t able to put forth her best run during the start of the race.
It is rather uncharacteristic to see Shiffrin suffering from a poor start. This is a devastating loss for the iconic Shiffrin who has a lot to prove in her upcoming events. People are shocked by her performances, however, Simone Biles came to her aid and offered her support on Twitter.
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Simone Biles empathizes with Mikaela Shiffrin
The effect of losing two back-to-back competitions is hard for any professional athlete. It can take a toll on one’s mental health, as the expectations to perform at a high level are massive. Being a two-time Olympic gold medalist brings on its own set of expectations from an entire nation.
Simone Biles, who had faced the same problem at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, offered her some support on Twitter. Biles is no stranger to scrutiny, and she made sure to put out positive energy towards Shiffrin.
🤍🤍🤍 @MikaelaShiffrin
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) February 9, 2022
Biles posted three heart emoticons and tagged Shiffrin’s name. A visibly shaken Shiffrin could not handle the interview questions as she kept crying. She is one of the best skiers in the world and a couple of inadequate performances won’t take away from her legacy in the eyes of many.
With three upcoming events on the horizon to claim the gold medal in Beijing, Shiffrin will look to get back to winning ways and stop and halt her recent slump. As for Biles, she did a great job in supporting her fellow athlete.
Biles’ mental health struggles
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Just like Shiffrin, Simone Biles suffered from a phenomenon named ‘twisties’, that caused a plethora of problems for her. Significantly, she withdrew from the team gymnastics competitions and was struggling with her mental health. Winning four gold medals at the Rio Olympics 2016 made her a legend; however, her stance on mental health struggles elevated her aura to achieve immortal status. Gone are those days when mental health struggles are taboo.
You’re still incredible, Mikaela Shiffrin. #Olympics pic.twitter.com/7lJb2zCTJ0
— Tyler Roney (@TylerJRoney) February 9, 2022
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For Shiffrin, we hope for the best. She is a talented skier and hopefully, she can regain some of her lost confidence and show the world why she is considered an elite talent.
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