Not even an injury can keep Mikaela Shiffrin from dominating! On February 11, the American ski queen teamed up with her longtime friend Breezy Johnson to win gold in the team combined event at the Alpine Skiing World Championships in Saalbach, Austria. This win? Oh, just her record-tying 15th world championship medal—no big deal. Meanwhile, Johnson became a double world champion, proving that childhood dreams (and ski buddies) do pay off. But before this race Shiffrin, was very happy to team up with her.

Their bond goes back to childhood, racing side by side in events like the Whistler Cup and Topolino, and now, on the sport’s biggest stage, it’s come full circle. For Mikaela Shiffrin, this isn’t just another competition—it’s a rare chance to race without pressure and rediscover the pure joy of skiing. “I feel very, very honored and privileged that she would even consider racing the team combined with me, even after I’m not fully fit,” Shiffrin said. “Despite everything, she still wants to help guide me back into racing. That’s so incredible for me. I’m so thankful for her for that. It feels like a gift, and I am going to do my best to earn it.”

Their recent performance was nothing short of spectacular. Johnson crushed the downhill, clocking the fourth-best time, while Shiffrin, cool as ever, raced to the third-fastest slalom time. Their combined effort edged out Swiss superstars Lara Gut-Behrami and Wendy Holdener by 0.39 seconds—which in skiing is the time it takes to blink. Austria’s Stephanie Venier and Katharina Truppe took bronze, but this was Mikaela and Breezy’s moment. “If you would have told us when we met that we would team up to win a world championship medal, I think neither of us would have believed it,” Johnson said.

Shiffrin, reflecting on their journey, admitted how wild it was to see everything come full circle. “So many things had to happen since we were 11. We even needed a new event entirely for this to be possible,” she laughed. She also gave props to her teammate, saying, “It was nerve-racking because Breezy did her job spectacularly this morning. It was so much fun to watch her execute, day in and day out.” Basically, Breezy brought the heat, and Mikaela closed the deal—just another day for this dynamic duo.

As for Shiffrin’s insane medal count, Johnson couldn’t resist cracking a joke. “If we keep adding team events, maybe we can get 32 for her or something!” she quipped. Then, turning serious for a moment, she added, “She is a legend. It’s super cool to be hitting my stride, and she’s obviously been on hers for a decade.” But hey, after this race, Shiffrin might be taking a little break.

Mikaela Shiffrin opens up about mental struggles after November crash

Well, yesterday, Mikaela Shiffrin revealed that she won’t be defending her giant slalom world title—not because of injury, but because of the mental toll her November crash has taken. The American ski legend, who holds a record 99 World Cup wins, admitted she’s been struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder after a terrifying fall at Killington, Vermont, where she suffered a deep puncture wound that nearly reached her abdominal wall and colon. She opened up about the unexpected mental battle she’s facing. “I’m mentally blocked in being able to get to the next level of pace and speed,” she said, calling it a “PTSD-esque struggle” that she underestimated.

The crash wasn’t her only rough moment—last season, she also wiped out in a high-speed downhill race in Italy, an accident that sidelined her for six weeks. She’s been working with a psychologist to process the fear, but even after returning to competition last month with a 10th-place finish in slalom, the thought of giant slalom still feels overwhelming. “Two years ago, I was at my top level I’ve ever skied in GS. It was the most fun I ever had skiing GS,” she said. “To be here now and not even be able to start, that’s pretty heartbreaking.”

Even without GS, Shiffrin will still be a force at the world championships. As for Shiffrin, she may not be at her peak just yet, but she’s not backing down—taking it one step, and one turn, at a time.