Athletes are rallying around Mikaela Shiffrin after her devastating races at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Leading up to the Beijing Games, the Team USA skier was favored to win big in a variety of events. But on Feb. 6, Mikaela crashed in the giant slalom leaving her without a medal. And then, on Feb. 8, she missed the fourth gate in the slalom leaving her unable to finish.
While Mikaela looked visibly disappointed, she is feeling the love and support from a variety of athletes including two Olympians who know the pressure she was feeling long before race day.
Retired skiing legend Lindsey Vonn took to Twitter with an encouraging message. "Gutted for @MikaelaShiffrin but this does not take away from her storied career and what she can and will accomplish going forward," she wrote. "Keep your head high."
As for Simone Biles, who withdrew from multiple events at the 2020 Summer Olympics after sharing her mental health struggles, she tweeted three heart emojis to Mikaela.
Perhaps the most impactful post came from Mikaela's boyfriend Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. The Norwegian skier, who is also favored to take home a medal at the Olympics, shared a now-viral photo of Mikaela sitting in the snow with her head down. While some may see a disappointed athlete, Aleksander has a different perspective.
"All I see is a top athlete doing what a top athlete does!" he wrote. "It's a part of the game and it happens. The pressure we all put on individuals in the sports are enormous, so let's give the same amount of support back…It's all about the balance and we are just normal human beings!!"
After seeing the comment, Mikaela took to Twitter and wrote, "My hope for every human is that they find another human who finds a way to love, understand and heal them in the way @AleksanderKilde has done and continues to for me."
Other athletes like Olympic soccer star Carli Loyd urged Mikaela to hold her head high no matter what happens next. "Life…sports…Pressure….Olympics…are HARD!" she wrote on Twitter. "When you're knocked down (which I've been many times), getting back up and doing the best YOU can is the only thing that matters. You are a champion! We are all supporting you."
And in another sign of just how impressive Mikaela is, the skier was still able to support teammate and alpine skier Nina O'Brien after a terrifying crash in the women's giant slalom left her injured.
According to Nina, who spoke out on Today, Mikaela sent a personal video of some teammates and coaches encouraging the skier.
"Regardless of how her day went, she has been checking in on me and just sending love," Nina said. "It makes a difference."
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