It is a picture of misery and sorrow: Mikaela Shiffrin, dejected in the snow.

She got no further than four goals in the slalom, after threading the giant slalom after just ten seconds.

In the result tableau of the Olympic Games there are only three letters after her name: DNF.

The combination that signals failure in alpine skiing: Did not finish.

Didn't reach the goal.

In her worst fears, Mikaela Shiffrin would not have believed that this could happen to her, that she could fail so blatantly at the Winter Games.

Achim Dreis

sports editor.

  • Follow I follow

In 18 previous competitions at major alpine events such as the Olympics or World Championships, she had not only always finished, but had also climbed onto the podium 14 times and had won no fewer than eight gold medals.

Not only was she the best and most elegant skier, she was also a model of consistency.

Eighth place in the giant slalom in Vail in 2015 was her worst result at a World Cup or Olympics when she was 19 years old.

And now this.

"I feel really bad," said Mikaela Shiffrin in a first statement after the big disappointment.

"It's hard to deal with."

For minutes she had sat in the snow after her bloodless performance in the slalom.

A heap of misery in a ski suit.

Head bowed on crossed arms, over bent knees.

Poles placed to the side, skis parallel in front.

It had an incongruous sense of order - like when someone wants to give up their belongings.

Is done.

A picture that makes you sad.

At some point an American team member came up to her, sat down and tried to cheer her up.

Two more followed later.

Consolation came from all sides for the former series winner.

There was no malice among the competitors that the American, who is otherwise used to winning, could fail once in a while.

Rather, sympathy was felt that the thin-skinned seems to be in despair, apparently at a turning point in her career.

"It's not the end of the world and I feel stupid to attach so much importance to it," said Mikaela Shiffrin about her bad skiing: "But I think I have to question a lot now." Actually, she brought the right mentality with her, her ski swing was also okay.

And the pressure doesn't weigh on her any more than usual.

And, she also recalled: "I've experienced worse in my life." Almost exactly two years ago, on February 2, 2020, her father Jeff died unexpectedly after a domestic accident. Mikaela canceled her season, took a long time to digest the loss to get back into the World Cup.Father and daughter had a close bond, although mother Eileen in particular is there as a companion in Europe."I would really like to call him now," said Mikaela on her father, but Jeff Shiffrin can no longer comfort his daughter.

Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, her friend and companion in the World Cup, tried his best.

Also publicly, in a moving post on Instagram, he tried to cheer her up: "If you look at this picture, you can make so many statements, meanings and thoughts," the Norwegian wrote about the picture of his sad girlfriend in the snow.

“I only see a top athlete doing what a top athlete does!

It's part of the game and it happens.

The pressure we all put on individuals in sport is tremendous so let's give back the same support.”

The Olympic Games are not yet over for Mikaela Shiffrin, the Super-G is already on the program this Friday (4:00 a.m.CET in the FAZ live ticker for the Olympics, on ARD and on Eurosport).

And the American all-rounder also wanted to start in the downhill next Tuesday and the combination on Thursday.

Whether she really competes seems questionable given the doubts she publicly expressed about herself and her driving skills.

But perhaps Kilde's shout will untie the knot in her chest: "It's all about balance and we're normal people!!

I love you Kaela".