BEIJING, China — American alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin said that she will compete in the women's downhill – making this her fourth event of the Winter Olympics.
The 26-year-old from Edwards, Colorado, said on social media that the downhill track is "spectacular" and that she has overthought the decision on whether to compete.
"So it's prob time to just point 'em straight and get low," she wrote.
The women's downhill event starts at 8 p.m. MST Monday (11 a.m. Tuesday in Beijing). Shiffrin will be joined by U.S. teammates Alix Wilkinson, Keeley Cashman and Jacqueline Wiles.
Shiffrin competed in the super-G last week after back-to-back disqualifications in giant slalom and slalom. She placed ninth in the super-G with a time of 1:14:30, about eight-tenths of a second behind the leader, Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland.
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It was her first time competing in a super-G at the Olympics level, but Shiffrin did win the event at the 2019 world championship and earn a bronze in 2021.
"I feel a lot more positive and a little bit of relief after skiing the super-G," she said. "To know that it's not so difficult. There's some normal key sections. Good skiing is good skiing, and I can really go for that. So I feel a lot more optimistic right now."
Shiffrin also said she was appreciative of the outpouring of support she's received.
"I don't feel like I deserve it," she said. "It's been insane how many people have reached and tried to cheer me up. I think every time someone sends a message I think, 'You don't have to waste your time on me, because I'm going to be fine.' I have Olympic medals and I've had great success and a lot of triumphant moments and plenty to be happy about."
In the slalom, Shiffrin almost immediately skied out, five seconds after beginning her first run. She skied over the edge of the course and sat down, bowing her head. She stayed there for several minutes.
Days earlier, Shiffrin's first trip down the race hill at the Beijing Games lasted just five turns and mere seconds, ending in a disqualification from the opening leg of the giant slalom that she called “a huge disappointment.”
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