"Badass Baller" - Mikaela Shiffrin reacts to compatriot Jacqueline Wiles clinching maiden World Cup podium in six years

American skier Mikaela Shiffrin recently congratulated her fellow skier Jacqueline Wiles for achieving a huge career milestone. The 31-year-old skier finished second in a World Cup downhill on Saturday for her first podium in six years.

On Saturday, the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup downhill at Cortina d'Ampezzo saw a string of surprises with its final results. Norwegian Mowinckel claimed her first-ever World Cup downhill win with a time of one minute and 33.5 seconds. She left behind second-placed Jacqueline Wiles by 0.35s. Nevertheless, Sofia Goggia, the reigning downhill champion finished third by 0.44s.

Celebrating her compatriot Wiles’s achievement, Mikaela Shiffrin shared a note on her Instagram story. She shared the video of the skier's winning moment and wrote,

“Badass Baller”

Shiffrin added,

“@jacquelineswiles - this one is emotional”

Mikaela Shiffrin's Instagram story ( Image via Instagram/mikaelashiffrin)

Previously, Jacqueline Wiles had two podium finishes. She finished third at Zauchensee in 2017 and also in Cortina in January 2018.

Wiles has also expressed her excitement for achieving something after six years of her skiing career. Speaking to Swiss broadcaster SRF, she said:

"This is absolutely insane.”

Wiles continued,

“It’s been a long time coming of injuries the last five, six years, so to be able to come here with confidence and put a run down that I was capable of means the world to me. It’s really special."

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Mikaela Shiffrin to miss remainder of Italy leg

Mikaela Shiffrin at Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup - Women's Downhill Training

Mikaela Shiffrin recently experienced a near-fatal crash into the safety nets during a World Cup downhill for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo.

On January 26, the two-time Olympic gold medalist attempted a small jump before the giant Tofanaschuss and slid while landing. Later on, the 28-year-old was evacuated in a helicopter.

Following her check-up, her team shared that Shiffrin’s ACL and PCL seemed 'intact' after the initial analysis. The US Ski & Snowboard Team, writing on their official X (formerly known as Twitter) handle, informed:

“Mikaela Shiffrin was taken by ambulance to the clinic in Cortina and is being evaluated for a left leg injury. Initial analysis shows the ACL and PCL seem intact. Further details to come."

It also revealed that Mikaela Shiffrin was quite positive about her situation because it “could have been worse.”

On January 27, Shiffrin thanked her fans on her X (formerly known as Twitter) handle for sending wishes for her speedy recovery. However, she also added that she will not compete on Tuesday (January 30) at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup in Kronplatz, Italy,

"and I won’t be skiing in Kronplatz. Beyond that, it’s quite hard to say right now. Need a little time to process with my team and see how everything is feeling in the coming days! Thank you all!🙏🤙.