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Why Skier Mikaela Shiffrin Has Half an Eyebrow at Olympics 2026
Mikaela Shiffrin’s latest milestone was bittersweet.
After securing her third gold medal with a win in slalom on Feb. 18—ending an eight-year medal drought—the athlete became emotional as she reflected on achieving the milestone six years after the unexpected death of her father Jeff Shiffrin.
“This was a moment I have dreamed about,” Mikaela told reporters through tears during a post-race press conference on Feb. 18. “I’ve also been very scared of this moment.”
“Everything in life that you do after you lose someone you love is like a new experience,” she added. “It’s like being born again, and I still have so many moments where I resist this. I don’t want to be in life without my dad.”
But despite the dread of experiencing such a special moment without her father, who died in 2020 following an accident at the family’s home, the medal also brought her closer to a sense of peace.
“Maybe today was the first time I could actually accept this reality,” she said. “And instead of thinking I would be going in this moment without him, to take the moment to be silent with him.”
Through her grief, Mikaela—who fell to her knees and cried after crossing the finish line before snapping a selfie alongside her fellow medalists with the Samsung Galaxy Olympic Edition phone—celebrated the people who were in Italy to watch her secure the gold including her mother Eileen Shiffrin and fiancé Aleksander Kilde.
“With the whole team who’s here with me now,” she said, "and with my mom, who is here with me now and has been with me since the beginning—it was just a little more spiritual than I usually am, but I'm really grateful for that.”
Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images
And Aleksander—to whom Mikaela became engaged in 2024—was soon singing his love’s praises.
“Mikaela, what you did today shows that your mental strength is out of this world,” the fellow pro skier wrote alongside a Feb. 18 Instagram carousel of photos from Mikaela’s race and their time together off the snow. “Four years ago you left the Olympics with more questions than answers. Today, you answered every single one.”
“You shut all our mouths and showed the world who the queen is,” he added. “I’ve seen all the work you’ve put in both physically and mentally over the last years - you are my biggest inspiration and I’m a proud fiancé to say it at least. I love you.”
For more standout moments from the 2026 Winter Olympics, keep reading…
Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Slip Up
U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin, also known as "Quad God," takes an uncharacteristic fall during the men's single free skating competition, ultimately landing him in eighth place.
Robert Michael/picture alliance via Getty Images
Head in the Game
German bobsledder Laura Nolte gears up before training for the monobob, the single-person bobsleigh event for women.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Victory Selfie
Following the women’s snowboard halfpipe competition, Korean snowboarder Gaon Choi poses for picture with Team USA's Chloe Kim and Mitsuki Ono of Japan taken using the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition.
Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images
From One Olympian to Another
Georgian figure skater Nika Egadze snaps a photo with Simone Biles, the most-decorated gymnast in Olympic history, during the men's singles figure skating competition.
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/Getty Images
You're on Candid Camera
A cameraman films U.S. skiers Breezy Johnson and Mikaela Shiffrin hugging after the second run of the women's team combined salom event.
Odd ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images
A Small Gift
French biathlete Lou Jeanmonnot has some fun with plushies of Milan-Cortina Olympics mascots Milo and Tina, which she received as part of winning the silver medal in the women's biathlon 15km individual event.
Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Thinking of Home
Skier Dmytro Shepiuk uses a sticky note to send love to his fellow Ukranians after finishing the men's super-G event.
WANG Zhao/AFP via Getty Images
Scream and Shout
Japan's Kaori Sakamoto is surprised by her score in the women's singles free skating team event.
JASPER JACOBS/BELGA MAG/Belga/AFP via Getty Images
All the Emotions
Dutch speedskater Jutta Leerdam wipes tears from her eyes after learning she set an Olympic record in the women’s 1,000-meter race.
Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Big Air
China's Eileen Gu competes in the women's freestyle slopestyle—which earned her a silver medal.
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
With Him Always
U.S. skater Maxim Naumov holds a photo of his late parents close after competing in the men's single skating short program.
Hector Vivas/Getty Images
Twists and Turns
A composite image shows off the many tricks seen in the women's freestyle slopestyle.
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Pierogi Power
Polish figure skater Ekaterina Kurakova holds up a plushie of a pierogi—widely considered to be Poland's national food—as she celebrates with her teammates during the women's single skating short program.
Tom Weller/Getty Images
It's a Bird, It's a Plane
No, it's Team Austria's ski jumper Julia Muehlbacher.
Robert Michael/picture alliance via Getty Images
Double Trouble
Selina Egle and Lara Michaela Kipp of Austria zoom by during the luge women's doubles.
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
Say Cheese!
The winners of the figure skating team event snap a selfie with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition while on the podium.
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Never Give Up
U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn looks determined as she attends a training session days after rupturing her ACL in a crash.
Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Ice to See You
Alysa Liu of United States performs the Biellmann spin during the women's single skating short program event.
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
So Close
Team Great Britain's Jennifer Dodds has a nail-biting reaction to the curling mixed doubles round robin match against South Korea.
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
Curl It Like It's Hot
Snoop Dogg, serving as an Olympics correspondent for NBC, tries his hand at curling at a practice.
Tim Clayton/Getty Images
In Sync
U.S. figure skaters and real-life couple Evan Bates and Madison Chock are a perfect match while performing their rhythm ice dance routine.
Federico Manoni/NurPhoto via Getty Images
On the B-rink of History
Laila Edwards, the first Black woman representing the U.S. in Olympic hockey, faces off against Czech player Sara Cajanova during the United States vs. Czech Republic game.
Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Friendship Knows No Borders
Australian snowboarder Valentino Guseli shares a hug with Team Czechia's Jakub Hrones during the men's snowboard big air qualifiers.
Javier SORIANO / AFP via Getty Images
Photo Finish
Bulgarian ski jumper Vladimir Zografski hits the brakes during a training session.
Al Bello/Getty Images
Swept Away With Joy
American curler Korey Dropkin lets out a victorious shout after his team defeats Switzerland in a mixed doubles round bobin match.
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