Wonder Woman of the Week: Mikaela Shiffrin

The spotlight for this week’s post aligns herself more with Captain Marvel than Wonder Woman, but like with her CM superfan peer Brie Larson, this week’s Wonder Woman has achieved high praise and high awards at a young age. She’s an accomplished Olympic athlete who does not shy from thanking her team and her role models. The Wonder Woman of the Week is Olympic skier Mikaela Shiffrin.

Born in 1995 in Vail, Colorado; Mikaela Shriffrin learned to skii from her two competitive skier parents as a two year old toddler. When her family moved to New Hampshire, Shiffrin sharpened her skills on the New England slopes through hours of repetitive drills. Shiffrin first caught international attention in 2010 when she won her first gold finish at the Trofeo Topolino- largely because she was the first American woman to ever win the slalom title at the competition. In the same year, Shiffrin went on to win the NorAm, took the bronze at the Junior World Championships only weeks later. Shortly after that, Shiffrin made her debut in the World Cup in March of 2011 and took the slalom gold at the US National Championships. [1]

In 2017, Mikaela Shiffrin set a new record for the youngest woman to ever win the World Cup for the women’s skiing title. The award was actually a bit anticlimactic as every other competitor dropped out of the race when they found out who they were competing against. Between 2011 and 2017, Shiffrin has set so many speed records for skiing that most of her peers fold upon hearing of her presence on the slopes. [2]

Regardless of the (healthy) fear Mikaela Shiffrin inspires in her opponents, the young athlete does not abstain from thanking the people who raised her. Shiffrin specifically cites her mother as one of the major influences in her success- as a nurse and as a soccer mom (or skii mom?) always ready to back up her daughter when necessary. Shiffrin also cites her head coach, Mike Day- a coach for male and female Olympians and witness to Shiffrin’s powerful status as a role model for girls and boys inside and outside the skiing world. [3]

Becoming the best in the world is no singular goal for skier Mikaela Shiffrin. When asked if winning the World Championships was “ahead of schedule” for Shiffrin’s life goals, she replied, “No, I don’t think I’ll ever believe I’m ahead of Schedule.” Shiffrin has not only caught the attention of her competitors, Olympic teammate Lindsey Vonn has become a compatriot of the super skier and one who recognized Shiffrin’s greatness early on. “Even at 16, you could see how good she would become,” Vonn once stated. [4]

Mikaela Shiffrin is definitely an athlete to watch in the upcoming Winter Olympics in 2018. At 22 years old, the international skier is already the best in the world at her event and continues to break records for not only her speed but her age as well. Shiffrin’s awards are only shadowed by her sportsmanlike conduct through her attribution of her success to family and coaches as well as her golden status as an impeachable role model for young athletes.

“Mikaela Shiffrin Biography.” Biography.com. A&E Television; nd. Web. 22 March 2017.

Meyer, John. “Aspen Celebrates Mikaela Shiffrin winning World Cup overall title at age 22.” The Denver Post; 18 March 2017. Web. 22 March 2017.

Hodgetts, Rob. “Mikaela Shiffrin: The team behind skiing’s new queen.” CNN; 20 March 2017. Web. 22 March 2017.

Pennington, Bill. “At 22, Mikaela shiffrin Flies to Skiing’s Pinnacle. And Aims to Move it Higher.” The New York Times; 17 March 2017. Web. 22 March 2017.