Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Thursday 28 November 2019
For Shiffrin, grandma part of warm memories at Killington

By PAT GRAHAM through' performance?'"
AP Sports Writer Know this about Shiffrin: She
Mikaela Shiffrin doesn't lose doesn't reflect on past ac-
often. Rarer still, she doesn't complishments. She's look-
lose to the same person ing forward to stay a step
over and over. ahead of the competition.
Growing up, the two-time "I still haven't been able to
Olympic gold medalist just 'process' my first podium, or
couldn't beat a certain my first win, or my first world
someone in Scrabble, Bog- champs or Olympic gold,"
gle or the card game UNO. said Shiffrin, who's slated
Grandma always won. to compete in Saturday's
She even playfully kept giant slalom and Sunday's
the scorecards around as slalom. "These milestones
proof. seem to just melt together
It's a warm memory Shiffrin into more things that I can't
has of the person she af- seem to process so I've sort
fectionately called "Nana," of stopped trying.
who died Oct. 22 at 98. "But I'm also OK with that
Along with this one: Her because I'd rather enjoy
grandmother watching her the moments that I'm living
race a World Cup event in now or look to the future in-
person for the first time at stead of dwell on the past."
Killington, Vermont, three United States' Mikaela Shiffrin competes during an alpine ski, women's slalom in Levi, Finland, Being back at Killington
years ago. Shiffrin won that Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019. rekindles so many power-
day and tears filled her ful emotions. It's a place
eyes when she hugged Or how Nana ALWAYS won seven years. "I still find it a little insane where she's won slalom
Nana. at board games. With her victory in Levi that I'm at the point in my races in 2016, '17 and '18.
Her grandmother will be in "She loved to keep track of came another prize — a career to be surpassing any It's hard to top that first time
Shiffrin's thoughts during this the score and save them reindeer to add to her of these records," Shiffrin Nana was able to attend.
weekend's races at Killing- with the games," Shiffrin growing herd. She named said. "More than anything Her grandmother had a
ton. She's always close to said. "If we left the game the previous ones Rudolph it just makes me smile to warm seat to watch her
Shiffrin's heart. out on the table when we (2013), Sven (2016) and Mr. know I'm living my dream win.
"I have a million memories," weren't playing she would Gru (2018). as a little girl of being one After the race, Nana was
Shiffrin said of her grand- randomly open it up and The name of the newest of the best in the world." taken outside to congratu-
mother, Pauline Mary Con- look over the scores — and member? Ingemar, natu- Shiffrin can't help but mar- late her granddaughter.
dron, who played tennis, remind everyone how of- rally — a tribute to Sten- vel at being one of the Nana's smile. Their em-
was an avid bowler and of ten she won." mark. "veterans" on the circuit brace. It's a moment Shiffrin
course always a big fan of These days, Shiffrin wins All these records she's these days. It's hard for her will always cherish.
skiing. "They are all incred- about that often on the breaking still catch her a to compute. "It was so fun. Such a nice
ible." slopes. little off guard. More could "I'm not old, but I am still celebration to have all the
Like her breakfasts ("best Last weekend in Levi, Fin- possibly be attained at Kil- considered a veteran even people that I love the most
breakfast in the world," Shif- land, she set the World lington. With 61 career though sometimes I still feel right there," Shiffrin recount-
frin boasted). Cup record for most slalom World Cup wins, she's one like a rookie," said Shiffrin, ed. "Seeing my Nana's face
Or the time Nana tipped wins by any ski racer. The away from tying Austrian who's aiming for her fourth right after my race, get-
over in a kayak years ago 24-year-old from Colorado great Annemarie Moser- straight World Cup overall ting to hug her, hearing
and lost her glasses. Shif- earned her 41st career sla- Proell for second on the all- title this season. "Every time her voice, it just put every-
frin's mom/coach, Eileen, lom victory to top Swedish time women's list. The wom- I see a new young ath- thing in perspective and
frequently recounts that great Ingemar Stenmark, en's record of 82 is held by lete have a breakthrough that made the whole day
story ("I was so young but who won 40 slaloms be- the retired Lindsey Vonn. performance I think, 'Hm- so, so much sweeter. It was
it's so cute when my mom tween 1974 and 1987. Shif- The overall mark of 86 be- mmm, what am I going to so incredible to have her
tells the story!") frin amassed her total in just longs to Stenmark. do to have another 'break- there."q

Injury ends season of Olympic downhill runner-up Mowinckel

OSLO, Norway (AP) — Olym- World Cup finals in Andorra.
pic downhill silver medalist Mowinckel writes "I'm dev-
Ragnhild Mowinckel says astated, but dealing with
her ski racing season is over the fact that this setback will
due to another serious knee once again just be exactly
injury. that... a setback."
Mowinckel says on her social The first injury came one
media accounts she tore month after she won a first
a knee ligament again last career world championships
week while training in Nor- medal, a bronze in Alpine
way. combined at Are, Sweden.
The 27-year-old Norwegian At the 2018 Pyeongchang
was coming back from a Olympics, Mowinckel took
Norwegian alpine skier Ragnhild Mowinckel attends a press serious right knee injury in silvers in downhill, ahead of
conference in Oslo, Tuesday Nov. 26, 2019. March when she crashed third-placed Lindsey Vonn,
Associated Press in downhill training at the and giant slalom.q