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Mikaela Shiffrin got emotional as she reflected on her bond with fellow Team USA skier Breezy Johnson. The American Alpine skier expressed that they connected with each other due to their ambitious nature and facing similar struggles during their childhood.
Shiffrin teamed up with her childhood friend Breezy Johnson to compete at the World Championships in Saalbach in the newly introduced team combined event. The American athlete revealed that she did not initially plan to compete in the team combined event but overturned her decision at the last moment to pair up with Johnson.
They ultimately won the gold medal in the first-ever team combined with a performance of 2:40.89. This victory marked Mikaela Shiffrin's 15th World Championship medal and Johnson's second medal in the prestigious Alpine Skiing event.
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The two American athletes have been competing against each other ever since they were 11 years old, and Shiffrin got emotional as she reflected on their bond after the conclusion of the World Championships in Saalbach.
The American athlete revealed how they fought through similar struggles in their childhood and connected on the common grounds of not being sure about their future in the skiing world. Over the years, they have proved themselves on the Alpine skiing circuit and emerged as successful skiers.
"We connected a little bit feeling like we were a little bit lost in a world where young girls were not really supposed to be as ambitious as we were," she said.
Mikaela Shiffrin on winning the World Championship gold medal with Breezy Johnson
Mikaela Shiffrin took to Instagram to express her thoughts about winning the World Championship gold medal in the team combined event. She reflected on her journey from being injured early on in the Alpine skiing season to winning the gold medal in the World Championships after teaming up with Johnson.
"It seems impossible to have made it this far, this quickly. But here we are…returning to competition essentially during World Championships after 10 weeks of injury. 9 weeks post-surgery, 8 weeks after being laid up in bed with a JP Drain sticking out of my side with a mostly useless oblique," she wrote.
Shiffrin expressed how she embarked on the World Championships with the mentality of improving steadily and winning was something that she had never expected.
Furthermore, she thanked her fans for their unwavering support and the organizers for successfully hosting the event. The American athlete also expressed her gratitude towards her team for working behind the scenes and helping her to continue to strive towards her goals.
