Two-time Olympic gold medal skier Mikaela Shiffrin described one of her injuries on Sunday as a “stab wound” as she reflected on her dramatic crash at the World Cup.
The U.S. Ski Team said in a statement Sunday that Shiffrin, a seven-time world champion, suffered a stab wound to the right side of her abdomen but was released from the hospital and is recovering.
A crash at the Stifel Killington Cup in Vermont on Saturday caused “severe muscle trauma,” according to the organization that runs the U.S. Olympic ski team.
Shiffrin, 29, was aiming for her 100th World Cup win when her skis caught on the edge during a giant slalom run and she fell into two gates before hitting a fence.
Appearing on NBC Sports and NBC Olympics on Sunday, Shiffrin spoke about the effects of the accident that forced her to miss the Killington event while watching replays shared on the broadcast.
“Oh my god,” she said remotely from Vermont. “That’s a great angle. It’s amazing.”
She said the accident caused her to fall multiple times, but after she bounced off a fence, the competition was paused and officials came to help her and she rested.
“I was intentionally trying to run the best offensive line that I could,” Shiffrin said of his mindset.
After she was taken to the hospital, it was determined that she had suffered a stab wound to her obliques, a pair of muscles in the lower front of the torso, Shiffrin said.
“The bottom line is, I have a sting,” she said.
It is unclear what kind of object caused the injury.
“I have no idea how we got a flat tire,” Shiffrin said.
Shiffrin said it was the first time she had seen footage of the crash. “All things considered, we are very fortunate,” she said.
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On Saturday, she spoke casually from her hospital bed in a TikTok video, telling supporters that “there’s no need to worry too much at this point.”
The U.S. Ski Team said in a statement on Instagram attributed to “Team Shiffrin” on Sunday that she is unable to “walk very well” but is grateful that no damage to organs, bones or ligaments was found. He said there was.
“Her priority is healing,” it reads.
Switzerland’s Camille Last won the Killington giant slalom. Shiffrin said it is unlikely she will play in the World Cup, which will be held this month in Beavercreek, Colorado.
“I’m pretty limited in what I can do right now,” Shiffrin told NBC Sports and NBC Olympics. “But let’s see what happens in the next few days.”
According to her, past injuries that caused muscle pain took about two weeks to fully heal. She said this injury involves a muscle tear, which is more serious and takes longer to heal.
“Shiffrin did not suffer any major injuries,” Killington Resort said in a statement summarizing the event. She also noted that there are no plans yet for her return to the sport.
Shiffrin won her 99th World Cup victory on November 23 in Gurugul, Austria.
Last year, she equaled and surpassed fellow American Lindsey Vonn’s World Cup record of 83 wins to become what Olympic organizers describe as “the most successful female alpine skier in World Cup history.” Ta.
Correction (Dec. 2, 2024, 12:52 a.m. ET): A previous version of this article misspelled the skier’s last name in the headline. She’s Mikaela Shiffrin, not Shriffin.
