Mikaela Shiffrin ends Games without a medal at Beijing 2022 - As it happened
American skiing star Shiffrin lost three head-to-head races as Team USA reached small final in mixed team parallel event.
Alpine Skiing
Mikaela Shiffrin was in action in the mixed team parallel, the last event in the alpine skiing programme at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
The American, the second-ever skier to participate in all six events at a Winter Games, failed to win a medal after Team USA lost the small final against Norway.
After Paula Moltzan put the Americans ahead, both Tommy Ford and Shiffrin lost their respective head-to-head. River Radamus tied the scores, but in the end the US lost on time countback.
The Vail-born skier was beaten by Thea Louise Stjernesund by 0.52 seconds, and that was the third time the six-time world champion lost today.
Shiffrin and Team USA failed to advance to the gold medal final after losing to Germany 1-3: the two-time Olympic champion lost to Lena Duerr by 0.10 seconds in the first head-to-head. River Radamus tied the scores for the Americans against Linus Strasser. But then Paula Moltzan crashed out and Alexander Schmid put Germany into the gold medal final. USA will now face Norway in the bronze medal final.
The USA advanced to the semis after beating Italy 3-1. Shiffrin lost her head-to-head against Marta Bassino by 0.02 seconds, but teammates Paula Moltzan, Tommy Ford and River Radamus all won their respective races.
In the 1/8 finals, Shiffrin beat Slovakian Rebeka Jankova by 0.64 seconds helping Team USA advance (3-1) to the last-four stages with the US winning 3-1.
The 26-year-old was the first at the start gate and raced the first round with teammates River Radamus (beating Andreas Zampa), Paula Moltzan (beating Petra Hromcova) and Tommy Ford (losing to Adam Zampa).
The event was delayed by a day due to the windy conditions on the 'Rainbow' course at the Yanqing National Skiing Centre, and here are the results
Austria won gold in the competition, with Germany earning silver and Norway bronze.
Gold medal final:
Austria-Germany 2-2 (on better tie breaking time)
Bronze medal final:
Norway-Usa 2-2 (on better tie breaking time)
Semi-finals
Heat 1 Austria-Norway 2-2 (on better tie breaking time)
Heat 2 USA-Germany 1-3
1/4 finals
Heat 1 Austria-Slovenia 3-1
Heat 2 France-Norway 2-2 (on better tie breaking time)
Heat 3 Italy-USA 1-3
Heat 4 Germany-Switzerland 2-2 (on better tie breaking time)
1/8 finals
Heat 1 Austria (Bye)
Heat 2 Slovenia-Canada 2-2 (on better tie breaking time)
Heat 3 France-Czech Republic 3-1
Heat 4 Norway-Poland 2-2 (on better tie breaking time)
Heat 5 ROC-Italy 1-3
Heat 6 USA-Slovakia 3-1
Heat 7 Germany-Sweden 3-1
Heat 8 Switzerland-China 4-0
More to follow. Refresh for updates. Full schedule below.
Alpine Team Event format
Shiffrin represents Team USA along with AJ Hurt, Paula Moltzan, Tommy Ford, River Radamus, and Luke Winters (Each team may include up to six skiers).
15 teams race in a knock-out format with four skiers - two men and two women - taking on four skiers from another nation in a parallel slalom competition.
Two competitors ski at the same time, side by side, on two identical courses in a head-to-head race, with each winner scoring a point for the team. If the score is 2-2, the team with the two best aggregate times wins.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about the mixed team parallel slalom at Beijing 2022
Mikaela Shiffrin's individual event results at Beijing 2022
Giant Slalom on 7 February: DNF in first run.
Slalom on 9 February: DNF in first run.
Super G on 11 February: 9th.
Downhill on 15 February: 18th.
Combined on 17 February: 5th in the downhill, DNF in the slalom leg.
Mikaela Shiffrin final event schedule at Beijing 2022
Mixed team parallel - medal event - Sunday 20 February
- 09:22 (China Standard Time) 1/8 Finals, against Slovakia in Heat 6.
- 09:51 1/4 Finals in Heat 3
- 10:15 1/2 Finals in Heat 2
- 10:28 Small Final
- 10:37 Big Final
Where to watch Mikaela Shiffrin race
From the Opening Ceremony to athlete action, here's where and how you can watch the Winter Games in your region via the Official Olympic Broadcast Partners.
CLICK HERE.
Shiffrin's message for people targeted by haters: 'Keep on going'
On Friday (18 February) Shiffrin took to social media to explain why she previously posted a series of ugly comments directed at her.
"My post last night was not actually intended for the haters, it was intended for those people who are getting hate," she said in a video.
"I truly believe that if you try to address the haters by hating on the haters, it really only continues to spread hate, and it doesn’t fix the problem," continued the American, who was targeted by detractors after failing to win an individual medal from the five events she competed in at Beijing 2022.
"The haters are there because they decided they want to hate you, and you’re really not going to do anything to make them stop hating you, so you really might as well not waste your energy on that.
"That message was for you guys. To get up, and to keep going. To get out of bed the next day, even though you’re getting these messages that make you feel awful." - Mikaela Shiffrin to people experiencing hate messages
Shiffrin closed her video with more words of encouragement:
"I think a lot of you have that fire in you, so you just go for it. Don’t send messages to your haters. They don’t deserve your time being wasted on them. You just spread the message to the next person who’s getting hate."
Iga Swiatek in support of Shiffrin
There’s been an outpouring of support for Shiffrin over the last few days.
Tennis star Iga Swiatek, who has been a long-time admirer of the two-time Olympic champion, has joined a long list of athletes, including gymnastics GOAT Simone Biles, who sent messages of encouragement for the skier.
In a video message, via Discovery Eurosport, the 20-year-old said: "Hi Mikaela. I know these must be tough moments for you but really you should remember how hugely inspirational you are for all of us. Not only as an athlete but as a person.
"These are not just empty words, you know that and I know that. You also inspired me and I’m really grateful to have an opportunity to chat with you and talk to you and to meet you someday when Covid is gone.
"I really hope you’re going to keep going and keep being as strong as you are because you’re doing great."