"Something else is stabbing through me"- Mikaela Shiffrin opens up about struggling with flashbacks of crash on returning to the slopes

Mikaela Shiffrin talked about getting flashbacks of crashes as she made her return to the Saalbach slopes for the 2024/25 World Championships in the ongoing World Cup season. Shiffrin suffered a crash in Killington's giant slalom race on November 30 and was sidelined for two months.

Mikaela Shiffrin was vying for her 100th World Cup win when she crashed into the safety net in Killington last year. She was left with a serious puncture wound in her abdomen, which later needed surgery to address a cavity filled with old hematoma.

When talking to BBC about her mental health condition months after her crash, the 99-time World Cup winner opened up about getting visions of crashing or something stabbing her.

"From the outside you look fine, you're back skiing again - but you're not OK yet. I've been experiencing that more than I ever did, or ever imagined, with giant slalom in particular. Sometimes I'll get a random vision of crashing. It might not be the Killington crash, it could be the course in front of me, that I have this random vision that I'm in the nets again and something else is stabbing through me," said Shiffrin.

Shiffrin raced with her childhood friend, Breezy Johnson, in the team combined, later revealing that she raced to see the latter happy.

"As an individual athlete, you never feel you are doing enough. Be faster, fix other things, there's always things to work on. You're living in this world, a very critical world, and you just never feel good enough. But I could really lean on Breezy. I wanted to do well for her and she felt the same for me."

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Mikaela Shiffrin once opened up about how Breezy Johnson convinced her for the team combined at the World Championships

Mikaela Shiffrin and Johnson after winning the team combined at the Audi FIS Alpine World Ski Championships - (Source: Getty)

Mikaela Shiffrin became the most decorated alpine skier in history when she surpassed the legendary Ingemar Stenmark's 86 World Cup-win mark in 2023. Shiffrin also outpaced Lindsey Vonn's records when she crossed her 82-win mark. Vonn, who returned from retirement to compete at the 2024/25 World Cup, wished to pair up with her younger counterpart for the combined event at the World Championships but the latter dismissed the opportunity for a reason.

In her recent X post, the 28-year-old shared how Breezy Johnson convinced her to compete in the team combined not to win but to honor their friendship.

"After becoming World Champion in downhill Saturday, Breezy told me "If you want to do the TC, I would be honored to pair with you. Not because of the medal, but because this sport is crazy fun, and it would be fun to bring it full circle after all these years," she said.

Shiffrin then appreciated Johnson, saying:

"What a wise woman.Breezy and I have been racing together since we were 11. We were at Whistler Cup and Topolino together. We've been roommates, competitors, friends. And she's right...it will be so so cool to bring this full circle. What a journey she has been on...she knows the mental challenges of this sport better than anyone."

Mikaela Shiffrin has two Olympic gold medals under her belt, alongside a Laureus Sportswoman of the Year award among other honors.