Mikaela Shiffrin to compete in Beijing 2022 Super G after considering withdrawal

Alpine skiing star Mikaela Shiffrin will be at the start gate of the women's super G event at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

According to earlier reports, Shiffrin considered skipping the event, but decided to enter the race after training on the competition slope on Thursday 10 February. She will start with the bib No. 11.

U.S. head women's Alpine coach Paul Kristofic told The Associated Press that today's practice "went well."

The American failed to complete both races she has competed in so far, the giant slalom and the slalom.

The two-time Olympic champion has never competed in Super G at an Olympics, but she won a gold medal in the event at the 2019 World championships

Shiffrin's boyfriend, Norwegian skier Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, admitted that the 26-year-old had "a couple of tough days", but that she's "in a good state, she's all right."

“She’s a hero and she can handle this. She handles pressure like no one else, and this is something she will come out of,” said Kilde, who won his second Olympic medal with a silver in the alpine combined.

Two-time Olympic champion Shiffrin spoke at length with reporters after her second straight DNFs at this Games on Wednesday but "will not be doing any media for the foreseeable future," according to a U.S. ski team spokeswoman.

The 26-year-old received many encouragement messages from other athletes, including gymnastics' superstar Simone Biles.

The six-time Olympic medallist returned the favour after Shiffrin spoke out in her defence following her mid-session withdrawal from the team final event at Tokyo 2020.

The skier replied to Biles' message by posting an emoji of two hearts and a disappointed face.

Shiffrin had planned to compete in all five individual events at Beijing 2022 and there are still three races left: the super G (11 Feb), the downhill (15 Feb) and the alpine combined (17 Feb).

But after skiing out in ther first two events, the 26-year-old cast doubts over her participation in the next races: “And if I’m going to ski out on the fifth gate, what’s the point?,” she told reporters after her slalom elimination, fighting back tears.

Shiffrin's mother and coach Eileen said on Wednesday that her daughter may not have done enough training on the Beijing 2022 downhill course and that there were concerns on how this could create a dangerous situation for her. The track 'The Rock' will also be used for the super G event.

Four years ago in PyeongChang, the six-time world champion didn't compete in the downhill and super G, after bad weather had caused a schedule change.

The women's super G is scheduled for Friday 11 February at 11:00 local time (4:00 CET, 19:00 PST on Thursday).