Mikaela Shiffrin reveals inner thoughts while skiing towards first victory of season after overcoming major hardships In the crisp Arctic air of Levi, Finland, Mikaela Shiffrin carved a path to redemption on November 15, 2025, clinching her 102nd World Cup win in the slalom opener of the 2025/26 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup. The 30-year-old American phenom dominated both runs, clocking a flawless 1:48.92 to edge out Italy's Sofia Colturi by 0.61 seconds, reaffirming her status as the sport's undisputed queen with a record 64 slalom triumphs.But this victory wasn't just about speed—it was a mental marathon. Shiffrin, fresh off a grueling 2024/25 season marred by a horrific November 2024 crash in Killington, Vermont, revealed the raw inner turmoil that haunted her descent. "My body was screaming at me—fight or flight kicking in, whispering 'No, it's risky, it's dangerous,'" she confessed in a post-race interview, echoing the "mind-body disconnect" that plagued her comeback. A seven-centimeter abdominal puncture wound had sidelined her, triggering PTSD and self-doubt: "Come on, Mikaela, people have had way worse... What is wrong with you?" she admitted in a candid Players' Tribune reflection from May.Drawing strength from her grandmother Betty's graceful battle with Alzheimer's—a woman whose skiing spirit mirrored her own resilience—Shiffrin rebuilt step by step. Her fiancé, Norwegian skier Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, was left speechless, tweeting, "Words fail... pure magic." As she eyes the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympics, Shiffrin's mantra rings true: "I dream of good turns, not milestones. That's big enough." This win? A testament to unbreakable grit, launching her Olympic quest with fire. #overcomingmajorhardships #MikaelaShiffrin