Mikaela Shiffrin opens up on split from longtime coach during worlds: ‘Sad how it came down’
The seven-time world champion thanked Mike Day for the support over the last seven years, but admitted that the split caused 'some high level of stress'.
Alpine Skiing
Seven-time world champion Mikaela Shiffrin admitted that it’s been a ‘stressful’ and ‘difficult’ few days following her split from longtime head coach Mike Day in the middle of the 2023 FIS Alpine Skiing World Championships.
The 27-year-old saw her coach leave just two days before taking gold in the women’s giant slalom on Thursday (16 February).
“It's been definitely some high levels of stress these days. Keeping the focus is one of my strengths, but it was very, very difficult today to keep the focus,” Shiffrin said in the post-race press conference.
“He went home two days ago, it's been stressful. It's been difficult for all of us to imagine this after so long, being such a tight group, really a family,” she added.
Despite the unexpected parting in the middle of the world championships, the American superstar had warm words for Day.
“I would like to just enjoy this moment today, but one thing I really want to say is just thank you to Mike for seven years of helping me. He's been such an integral part of my team and being there to support me through some of the most incredible moments of my career and some of the most challenging moments of my career and also my life. He's been there to support me through it all.”
Shiffrin confessed that the timing of the announcement was perhaps unfortunate: “It's just a little bit sad how it came down, I think everybody wonders about the timing. It was never the intention to make an official announcement during the world championships.
"But the way things have conspired…that's how it happened. And I hope to give him the time and the notice through until the end of the season to figure out his own plan and prepare himself for his own next steps.”
Mikaela Shiffrin: The GOAT debate? I just keep pushing the limits of the sport...
Shiffrin has earned her 13th medal at the worlds out of just 16 starts and is the most decorated skier, male of female, in the post WWII era.
After three Olympic medals, 85 World Cup wins and other records, she was asked what it would take for her to be considered the greatest female athlete of all time.
“I don't think I can do anything to truly be the greatest of all time. I think that title is something meant for people to decide on their own and everybody gets to decide who their favourite athlete is,” she said.
“I'm trying to push the sport and push the limits, show my passion and share this with the world the way that I love it. But some people will consider me the greatest and some people don't even consider me part of the conversation. I think both of those things are perfectly fine.”
More milestones can still be achieved by the end of the season, starting from the slalom on Saturday, when the American has the chance to win a record fifth gold in the event.