Thunderbolt from the first run of the giant slalom of the 2022 Olympics: the American Mikaela Shiffrin, reigning Olympic champion in the specialty and among the favorites for her own succession, quickly made a mistake and was eliminated on Monday in Yanqing .
Starting with bib number 7, Shiffrin, 26, made an inside fault after only a few doors, like another favorite, the Italian Marta Bassino, who had started with bib number 5, causing a first murmur among the few dozen spectators present.
“It’s a huge disappointment, and I’m not even talking about a medal. The day ends before it even begins. When you finish on the flank like that, it’s because you pressed to make your curve at the wrong time, ”lamented Shiffrin in the mixed zone.
The American, 2021 world giant vice-champion, stopped for several minutes on the edge of the track, before descending into the finish area.
The triple winner of the world No. 1 crystal globe had not been eliminated in a giant slalom since January 23, 2018.
“I rarely go out as a giant. The best thing is to tell yourself that I made some good turns and only one bad one, and I’m paying the consequences. The track is amazing but not forgiving. It’s quite different from what you usually see, but it’s a nice surface. »
Shiffrin estimates that he lost training time this season between a back injury in the fall and about 10 days of isolation due to COVID-19 between late December and early January.
“I’m not going to feel sorry for myself, it would be a waste of energy, the best thing is to refocus on what’s next, and I’m in the right place to do that. »
It is the first time in three participations in the Olympic Games (2014, 2018, 2022) that she does not finish an Olympic race: she has two gold medals (slalom in 2014, giant in 2018) and one silver (combined in 2018).
Shiffrin, leader of the general classification of the World Cup, aims to participate in all the individual events on the program of the Beijing Games, but will therefore not be able to bring back five medals.
Valérie Grenier disqualified
Valérie Grenier grabbed one of the last gates of the course and was disqualified from this giant slalom.
After the third section, she was 1.61 seconds behind the leader.
The 25-year-old athlete from Mont-Tremblant finished sixth overall at the Pyeongchang Olympics.
The other Canadian in the running, Cassidy Gray, will be in action later.
