"Damn close to piercing some organs"- Mikaela Shiffrin reflects on her devastating fall at World Cup as she shares graphic image of her puncture wound

On November 30, Mikaela Shiffrin was racing in Killington as she gunned for her 100th World Cup win when she suffered a terrifying crash. The American withdrew from the rest of the race weekend as a result and has revealed details about the impact of her accident.

For Shiffrin, this marks her 15th World Cup season on the slopes, and she has the chance to become the first skier in history to claim 100 World Cup wins. She started her season strong, winning her 98th and 99th World Cup races in Levi and Gurgl. However, in Killington, where the American had the opportunity to win her 100th race on home ground, she suffered a major crash, which left her with a puncture wound in her abdomen.

Now, taking the time to reflect on her injuries a few days after the race, Mikaela Shiffrin shared some graphic images of her puncture wounds and penned a lengthy note on Instagram about her crash. She expressed her gratitude for the fact that the damage wasn't worse and that none of her organs were hurt, writing,

“Reflecting back on the crash after about a week, I'm incredibly thankful the crash wasn't worse. It was damn close to piercing some organs that would have changed this situation entirely for the worse. I'm grateful for my team, everybody at both Rutland Regional Medical Center and Vail Health who have been taking care of me, and the outpouring of love and kind words from all of you.”

Shiffrin went on to dismiss speculation that her puncture wounds were caused due to the hill, explaining that she most likely hurt herself with her ski pole.

“I think in my case, the damage was done before I got close to the net. After reviewing the video several times, we think it was the tip of my ski pole, given the size and shape of the point of entry. Maybe it pierced in, and then I rolled over it which is what dug out the small cavern...hard to say, really. We're just glad it's limited to muscle damage.”

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Mikaela Shiffrin shows excitement for the upcoming World Cup race

Mikaela Shiffrin shows excitement for upcoming World Cup race (Image Source: Getty)

After the drama at Killington, the 2024 FIS World Cup racing action will now head to Beaver Creek for a men's and women's dual meet, with the men competing in the Giant Slalom, while the women race the downhill and the Super G.

While Mikaela Shiffrin has typically excelled on the slopes of Beaver Creek, she will be missing the race this time around. However, the American was quick to show her enthusiasm for the competition regardless of her participation status. In the comments section of her Instagram post discussing her injury, the skier exuded excitement for the races, writing,

“Now it's Beaver Creek World Cup time...it's going to be an historic moment for the women's circuit and as much as I wish to be able to race, I'm so excited to be able to witness it all.”

For Mikaela Shiffrin, this marks her second major crash this year. In January 2024, the American suffered a fall while racing in Cortina d'Ampezzo, leading to her needing a six-week-long break from the slopes.