The wait for Mikaela Shiffrin’s 100th World Cup win seems to have taken a bit longer. While she won her 99th in Gurgl, back in November 2024, Shiffrin had her eyes firmly set on Killington, Vermont. Coming out amidst loud cheers, Shiffrin started off on a positive note. And just when the crowd was about to erupt in joy, the unthinkable happened. Shiffrin crashed into the safety net, leaving the audience in pin-drop silence. As Shiffrin did not move due to shock initially, the tensions escalated in the stands. 

Thankfully, as she was swiftly taken to the hospital, Shiffrin announced that she would be out from competitive skiing for a significant period. Suffering an abdominal puncture wound, Shiffrin had to wait for two months before she could once again take to the snow. However, once she did so, there was no turning back. The skiing legend competed in the Sestriere Slalom on Sunday.

But to make things even better, Shiffrin created another history! She became the very first Alpine skier to secure 100 World Cup wins. As the race started, Shiffrin took the lead right away. And she continued to maintain the lead; she won with a 0.61s lead over the second-placed Zrinka Ljutic. When compared with the third-placed fellow US skier, Paula Moltzan, her lead was an even impressive 0.64s.

Now, as she is getting all the limelight, Shiffrin cannot help but look back and feel grateful towards her coaches. Soon after her win, Shiffrin looked quite emotional as she said to the BBC, “Today a lot of things had to go right for me and wrong for others.” Shiffrin further stated, “In the end, I did something right.”

Reflecting on her injury, the skiing queen termed her injury “weird, gross, and painful.” And while her route to recovery was a tad bit difficult, Shiffrin stated how she has been supported throughout by her coaches and teammates. She said, “Everybody’s been so nice and so supportive… all of my teammates and competitors and coaches and the whole World Cup. I’m so grateful.”

Well, the world is currently busy hailing Mikaela Shiffrin for her 100th World Cup victory. But this was not the only instance when Shiffrin had created magic on the snow. Right after her injury, Shiffrin made a thumping comeback at the FIS Alpine Skiing World Championships.

Mikaela Shiffrin’s comeback and securing the emotional triumph

Fighting against a major setback and injury, Mikaela Shiffrin did it again! Just days after etching her name in history by securing an impeccable win, the 29-year-old ski legend took to her Instagram and shared her unfiltered thoughts. Emotionally reflecting on her journey back to the top, Shiffrin shared a long post on her social handle.

Teaming up with her childhood friend, Breezy Johnson, Shiffrin clinched gold in the team combined event at the FIS Alpine Skiing World Championships in Saalbach, Austria, on February 11. However, beneath the triumph lay a grueling mental and physical battle. A battle that made this victory even more profound.

Acknowledging the weight of her return after recovering from a major puncture wound, Shiffrin poured her emotions into words. Revealing the raw reality of her struggles, Shiffrin admitted, “It seems impossible to have made it this far, this quickly”. Just weeks ago, she was in recovery, fighting through pain and self-doubt. And yet, there she stood—on top of the podium, defying the odds once more.

She further added, “But here we are… returning to competition essentially during World Championships after 10 weeks of injury. 9 weeks post-surgery, 8 weeks after being laid up in bed with a JP Drain sticking out of my side with a mostly useless oblique.”

However, the victory didn’t erase the lingering scars. The deep impact and mental toll that the fall and injury had on her. She openly shared her ongoing mental hurdles, confessing that she was still working through fears that kept her from competing in the giant slalom event. But champions don’t back down. 

Even as doubts crept in, Shiffrin found a way to rise—partnering with Johnson to pull off a thrilling comeback from fourth to first, proving that resilience fuels greatness. Though her historic individual streak took a hit with a fifth-place slalom finish, it didn’t define her. Rather, it just showcased the grit that made her one of the sport’s all-time greats. Through victory and struggle, Shiffrin’s message remains clear—the fight never ends, but neither does her will to win.