Mikaela Shiffrin considering racing all six events at Beijing 2022

Two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin has revealed she is considering entering all six events of the alpine skiing programme at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

The American had previously stated that her goal was to race in all five individual disciplines: giant slalom, slalom, Super G, downhill and alpine combined.

But now she's mulling over competing in the mixed team parallel parallel event as well:

"The parallel event is a possibility at this point. We're trying to kind of get confirmation of which athletes are planning to stay and do it," Shiffrin said in an audio press conference recorded by U.S. Ski and Snowboard.

The mixed team parallel made its Olympic debut at PyeongChang 2018.

Each of the 16 teams may include up to six skiers, with four of them (two men and two women) competing in every round of the knockout format.

Shiffrin added that she doesn't intend to take any opportunity away from her teammates who were planning to enter the event scheduled on 19 February.

"We have plenty of depth...I don't feel like I have to do it. I want all my teammates who have come this far and earned their sport, I want them to feel they have their moment as well."

Shiffrin: No shortage of races to compete in!

The three-time overall World Cup winner said she hasn't decided yet whether to enter the downhill.

"I think we're going to have to wait for the downhill training runs to see how basically we stack up. It's like going to be a mini qualifier," she said, mentioning that she will feature in at least one practice session.

"That's going to be a decision we make when we get there. There's not a lot of reason why I wouldn't do the downhill unless the schedule changes and fatigue starts playing a role - then it becomes a safety risk. But otherwise I don't see a whole lot of reason why I wouldn't do it.

"So I'm not going to have, like, a shortage of races to compete in!"

Croatia's Janica Kostelic holds the record for most alpine skiing medals at a single Winter Olympics with four, including three golds, at Salt Lake 2002.

Shiffrin has a total of three career Olympic medals, three behind the women's record Kostelic shares with Anja Paerson of Sweden.

If the 26-year-old did claim an unprecedented six medals at Beijing 2022, she would pass Kjetil Andre Aamodt's overall mark of eight.

Shiffrin: "Disappointment if I walk away with no medal"

Shiffrin admitted that there will be more variables than usual to deal with at this Games.

On top of slopes and a type of snow that has never been tested before in World Cup, the wind could also affect results, as happened during the second practice day of the men's downhill when strong gusts were felt by some racers at the Yanqing National Ski Centre.

"I feel like you just have to take what you can get. And there is going to be a huge element of just crossing your fingers during this Games," Shiffrin explained.

"But having said that, no matter what, good skiing is always your best chance at any level of success. So if you want to get a medal here, you better ski well, because the surface is legit and the hills are not easy.

"And if somebody gets a tailwind or somebody gets a headwind, there's going to be definitely some of the conditions playing a factor in what happens with results. But you can only hope that either you get lucky or at least you don't get unlucky and control what you can control."

Asked what disappointment would look like to her, Shiffrin said that she could give a better answer at the end of the Games, but admitted: "There's going to be some level of disappointment if I walk away with no medal."

"I don't actually think it's possible to walk away from this Olympics or any Olympics... I've never in my life had three weeks where I had no regrets and no disappointments at all. So definitely can't be expecting that at the Olympics."

When to watch Mikaela Shiffrin in competition at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022

Shiffrin will be making her Beijing Games debut on Monday 7 February in the women's giant slalom with the first run at 10:15 local time (02:15 GMT, 18:15 on Sunday PST), where she will defend her title from PyeongChang 2018.

Two days later, she races in the slalom with the first run again at 10:15 local time.

And on Friday 11 February, Shiffrin goes in the Super G at 11:00 local time (03:00 GMT, 19:00 on Thursday PST).

If she decides to race the women's downhill on Tuesday 15 February, you will see her at 11:00 local time.

Shiffrin will be one of the favourites for the combined event is on Thursday 17 February with the downhill starting at 10:30 local time (02:30 GMT, 18:30 on Wednesday PST).

And finally, if she chooses to compete, the mixed team parallel brings the alpine skiing at Beijing 2022 to a close with the round of 16 starting at 11:00 local time.

MORE: How to watch alpine skiing at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022