Mikaela Shiffrin will compete in her fourth Winter Olympics in February as she looks to add to her Olympic medal count. The Team USA skier is expected to race in multiple events at Milano Cortina 2026, including the women’s slalom, women’s giant slalom and the women’s team combined slalom.
Shiffrin has competed in the last three Winter Olympics. While she did not win a medal at the 2022 Beijing Games, she won her first gold medal in the slalom at the 2014 Sochi Games. She later added a second gold in the giant slalom at the 2018 PyeongChang Games, along with a silver in the combined competition, bringing her total Olympic medal count to three.
However, as Shiffrin and the USA prepare for the upcoming events, they have lost a teammate for the remainder of the Winter Olympics.
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Katie Hensien, a USA skier out of Redmond, Washington, was prepared to partake in her second Winter Olympics in Milan this year. The 26-year-old was set to compete in numerous events, including the women's giant slalom, Super-G and downhill events.
However, in November, Hensien suffered a major setback, fracturing her tibia during a training session in Finland. While the skier still hoped she could compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Hensien recently announced she would have to withdraw from the Milan Games, saying she is “not back at the level” she wants to be at.
"Keep on keeping on 🚶♀️," Hensien wrote on Instagram. "The past month has been mentally tough, and life reminds you sometimes that it doesn’t play fair. I’m sad to share, that even though I was named to the team, I will no longer be competing in the Olympics this year. I’m just not back at the level I need to be to compete with the best—yet.
"It’s easy to look back and ask “what if,” but I’m incredibly proud of the work I put in to get back here, even if I fell short. As my dad always says, “Hensien’s never give up.” So we keep working. Join me in cheering on my teammates competing next week!!! 🥳🥳"
Shiffrin quickly took notice of her USA teammate's announcement, leaving a supportive message to Hensien in the comments: "💙there’s so much more to look forward to.💪💪"
Shiffrin will begin her Milano Cortina 2026 journey on Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. ET, beginning with the women's team combined slalom.