Pressure

Always. Under. Pressure. I relate with the pressure that Mikaela Shiffrin is under during her journey through hardships. Shiffrin’s story matters to me because I am a hard worker that tries to strive to be the best in whatever I do. Like Shiffrin, I work so hard in school to be the “best”, similar to how she works hard to race so she can be first. She finds a lot of her validation in racing, winning races specifically. I find a lot of my validation through school, I work hard in every class and put my all into every assignment I do. Mikaela Shiffrin does the same thing with racing, constantly putting her all into every race and training session. This is why Tim Layden’s portrayal of Mikaela Shiffrin’s story matters to me.

At 18 years old, Mikaela Shiffrin won her first gold medal. This marked her as the youngest U.S alpine ski racer to ever win a gold medal, (or any medal at all). Mikaela Shiffrin won another gold medal shortly after. This made her the first alpine skier to win a gold 12 years apart. She struggled with injury and despite being one of the best in the world, during the Olympic Games, she had a hard time winning medals. Shiffrin’s story wasn’t just about success and expectations, it was about loss. Her father died in February of 2020, she was extremely close with him. She went on to win many more races after. She is now named one of the best alpine skiers in history, she used her wins and losses to motivate her to be the best.

Mikaela Shiffrin’s story made a huge change in the world. She proved that women can succeed in sports. She also set an example that losses don’t define you. She used the losses and struggles to motivate her to win. She became a huge role model for young women in sports, and young people in general. Mikaela Shiffrin’s story changes how athletes and young females view their goals. She proved that anything is possible. She spent so much time on the slopes, but also in a hospital bed due to injuries. This shows that no matter what struggles you have to go through, they are possible to overcome and become the best.

Mikaela Shiffrin’s story changes how I view my goals completely. Because of her, I view my obstacles as motivation. Although I may feel like I can’t do it, I can. Shiffrin has failed many times, done awful performances during races. But she never let that define her. She continues to work hard despite failing. She is a prime example of no matter what you go through, it doesn’t define your overall talent and capability.