Michael Madrid-Imagn Images

Mikaela Shiffrin's Life Update After Winter Olympics Grabs Attention

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Rolly Gacelo | Last updated Feb 26, 2026 10:24 PM ET

February has been a busy month for American ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin. She won her third gold medal at the Winter Olympics, and a media tour naturally followed.

The 2026 Olympics were a challenging journey for Shiffrin. She had to deal with an injury the year before. Her start in Milan-Cortina was not ideal, as she finished 11th in the giant slalom event after having won it in the 2018 edition. However, she bounced back and won the women’s slalom in dominant fashion.

Her victory is one of the best comeback stories one could write. She did not finish her events at the 2022 Games in Beijing, which came two years after her father passed away.

"Winning an Olympic medal without him here was terrifying to me before I knew that it was. In Beijing, I didn't know I was scared of that," Shiffrin said as she dedicated the gold medal to her late dad.

The dust has settled, and Shiffrin stands tall above the rest. She now has a total of four Olympic gold medals, making her the most decorated Team USA alpine skier in the event’s history. The 30-year-old is also the first American skier to win three Olympic gold medals.

Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates with the American flag after slalom event win in the Winter Olympics.Michael Madrid-Imagn Images

Shiffrin deserves a good rest, and it looks like she’s getting one — perhaps one that might make a few critics envious. “Sir Naps a Lot,” a nickname she earned for her love of taking naps before races, is back home enjoying time with her fiancé, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde.

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Kilde is a Norwegian alpine ski racer whom Shiffrin met in 2021. He won one silver and one bronze medal at the 2022 Olympics but did not participate in the 2026 edition. They got engaged in April 2024.

The couple have been vocal about being each other’s biggest supporters. Kilde calls Shiffrin his “rock.”

Shiffrin shared that her father’s passing deeply affected her mindset about forming close relationships, to the point that she initially pulled away from Kilde after they first met.

“He just found a way to be truthful and kind and made me feel a kind of safety that only people within my family can possibly provide,” Shiffrin said in an exclusive interview with "Us Weekly" before the Milan competition.

“That was incredible. Flash forward several years and his support has meant the world. It’s been life-saving in some ways. He’s helped me grow and mature and learn about myself, to find ways to communicate. It’s been a pretty incredible experience.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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