"I literally couldn’t fit enough food in my stomach" - Mikaela Shiffrin reflects on challenges she faced in her recovery phase after Killington crash

Mikaela Shiffrin reflected on her recovery process ahead of her first race following the horrifying crash she suffered during her home race in Killington, Vermont. On November 30, 2024, Shiffrin tumbled during the second attempt near the finish line after losing control.

Shiffrin had to be evacuated by the medical staff on a sled. Along with disrupting her 100th World Cup victory, Shiffrin suffered a seven-centimetre deep puncture wound in her abdomen that required surgery after the nasty fall.

The ace American skier navigated a grueling rehabilitation process, the glimpses of which she frequently shared with her fans. Exactly 60 days after the unsettling incident, the three-time Olympic medalist is set to compete in her first race since the crash.

Shiffrin opened up on the challenges she faced during her recovery process following the crash in Killington. In an interview with skiracing.com, she described how hard it was to consume food as the swelling in her stomach took up much space. She added that noticing the swelling decrease was a significant milestone in the recovery journey.

"I can’t tell you how full I felt constantly. I literally couldn’t fit enough food in my stomach with the swelling taking up so much space," she said. "When I started to notice less swelling in my stomach, that felt huge."

“When you compare it to clinical research… I’m around two weeks ahead, if not more. Looking back now, it’s so obvious how much improvement there has been," Shiffrin added.

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Mikaela Shiffrin opens up her current physical state ahead of her race in France

Mikaela Shiffrin of the USA at the FIS Ski Race Talk in Soelden, Austria. (Photo Getty Images)

Before competing in her first race following the nasty fall in Killington, Mikaela Shiffrin gave an update on her physical state, stating that she is not fully healed yet.

In the same interview, she clarified that she is still recovering, specifically focusing on healing any scarring and addressing muscle tightness.

“The next step is returning to competition. That doesn’t actually mean I’m 100% recovered… we’ll need to continue working on healing and in particular scarring and increased tightness for a while," she said.

Mikaela Shiffrin will be seen competing on Thursday, January 30, in Courchevel, France ahead of her last appearance at the World Championships in Saalbach, Austria, in February. She will make her fourth appearance at the Olympic Games at Milano Cortina 2026.