ABFTTB! Congratulations! Oh wait, The vertical drop for a GS course must be 250–450 m (820–1,480 ft) for men, and 250–400 m (820–1,310 ft) for women. The number of gates in this event is 56–70 for men and 46–58 for women. I guess the women's course is significantly easier than the men's. I wonder why they even have their own division if they're so fast?
I love the animation and the visuals on this story NYT. I'm often critical of you, but nice job on this story. Congratulations, Mikaela!!!
A great story. Congrats to this young woman. It would be nice to know where her names come from.
Also, the photos and the motion graphic - a great technical job.
I am in Seoul for the Olympics.
They have 3 tv stations but for some reason, all show same events - especially if South Koreans are in.
They have shown us none of downhill skiing yet.
I am really disappointed.
This country has some incredible WiFi - so good that WiFi on the bullet train is faster than we get back home in some areas.
Yet, there are no apps to show different events live streaming.
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It is the same for all Olympics, ALL feeds go to one central room in the Olympic Broadcast Organization, their each country chooses which live feed it will put up in their country and it is fed live in that country. The other major events are taped and can be pulled up at other times (off peak) for the other events. Many events run simultaneously live so only one may be seen live, or country can switch back and forth thus missing live parts of each. It is quite and operation. I was fortunate enough to work Both Sydney and Salt Lake City in 2000 and 2002 For an overview, check out my website under "Projects" videomicrowave. com
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Another gem from Vermont's Burke Mountain Academy! Warren Witherell's spirit lives on. BTW, didn't the time run an article last week about Mikaela being limited to slalom events???
Very cool animated graphic! Nice job.
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Such an uplifting inspirational story!
Congratulations Mikaela!
YOU make America proud!
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She is really a fantastic skier.
She shows that technique, attention to detail, fitness and form can trump aggression (If Bode Miller thinks this is a criticism of him, well how 'bout that?)
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Though I'm happy for Mikaela, it's hard to watch her self-centered interviews. Perhaps she feels she's earned the right to be arrogant at this point, but other athletes who have predicted their own Olympic successes have not come across in this off-putting way. I see a person who is the product of an environment that has been shaped around her for her convenience and comfort so she can go do big things on snow.
I had a cold and was too tired to stay up for the second GS. But I was confident Mikaela would win. I figured I'd read about it this morning, which I did. Amazing that the US women's team is following up the incredible Lindsey Vonn, with the perhaps equally incredible Mikaela Schiffrin. Other nations must be depressed. One last thing: Congrats to Aksel Lund Svindal on being the oldest Winter gold-medal winner, in, of all things, downhill. I remember watching him when my eldest child was a toddler. Back then, I have to say, I wasn't real happy when he beat Bode at the last minute, but yesterday he was great. Back to Mikaela: Best of luck to you in the other events!
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Wonderful athlete and great graphic (I didn't see the race; they do ski one at a time, yes?), but predicting accomplishments before they occur seems tasteless on many levels. She will do her best, as will others, and we will find out how it plays out. Some of this reporting is obnoxious.
Am I the only one who thinks this level of “commitment” is a bit disturbing in a young person? I watched a couple of interviews with her and she seems, well, not very happy actually. Hard work is one thing, but where is any kind of balance in her life? That’s a question because I really don’t know, of course. There is far too much hype accompanying TV coverage of the Olympics for my taste. I only had it on to see some of the skating. Schiffrin’s achievement seems more obsession than accomplishment to me. She’s 22 and her mother is her best friend. Sweet, but also a bit sad.
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I know your question comes from the right place. In reality, people like Shiffrin are one in a billion and in many ways, born that way. They are uber competitive, and when the right environment meets that competitive mind, talent blossoms into this kind of performance. There are exceptional people like this in all areas, not just in athletics. You and I are not their opponents or even competitors.
And I am sure in their downtime, they relax and chill just like all of us.
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But no one can say that she's living a life that she herself hasn't chosen for herself, at least I haven't read anything that would indicate that.
People's lives are different. Reading about Ted Williams and his obsession with hitting seems similar. What about marathon runners? I have to believe that you could make the same criticism of these athletes. What about the concert pianists? Do you think they get by on a couple of hours of practice each day?
Until someone provides us with evidence to the contrary, she's living the life she chooses to live. Apparently her obsession is required to achieve what she is achieving. Your concept of normal applies to you, not someone else.
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Being the best skier in the world takes both natural ability and commitment. I find Shiffrin’s level of commitment inspiring, rather than disturbing. Her obsession is what allows her accomplishments . . . they go together, it’s not one more than the other as you suggest.
And while her mother is her best friend, she also has a boyfriend (a French racer) so she does make time for healthy relationships with her peers.
In addition to her accomplishments on the snow, Shiffrin’s level of commitment has made her a wealthy young woman. Unless she does something foolish, she is financial set for life. Nothing sad about any of this.
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Majestic performance from a gifted and dedicated artist.
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How about the rest of the US Ski Team? Surprised no one is asking why the second and third best Americans are a whopping 5 and 6 seconds out - in the first run alone? Does anyone else care that by putting so much into the Shiffrin Team, the US Ski Team has all but killed the rest of the program?
And how is it that Mikaela, like Simone Biles, seems to focus soooooo well?
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I don't understand your comment. Shiffrin is obviously a savant, that doesn't take away from anyone else competing. She is so focusing on refining and improving her technique, each and every time. But the opportunity to improve and train harder is open to anyone who can put in the time and effort. Are you implying that other Team USA skiers are being denied the opportunity to train, and that all the financial resources are being provided to only one skier? That doesn't' seem likely. She is just a standout of her generation, and hopefully will continue to do well for another decade.
And your implication that she is somehow doping for her focus is frankly rude and unwarranted. Everyone at the Olympics has to take drug tests.
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For the most part, she really isn't supported by the US Ski Team. It's Team Mikaela.
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I don't think I've ever uttered the word "slalom" aloud in my life but a gold for the USA is a gold for the USA.
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She lives American Exceptionalism.
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Such a contrast between Mikaela and Lindsay Jacobellis. Lindsay has all the talent in the world, but fails to take it seriously with her hot dog moves and mental lapses that give away medals
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Finally some good news! Mikaela Shiffrin, thank you for that, and for providing a rare opportunity these days for an American to find something to be proud of.
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Thank you to the NYT for making the little graphics. I love them.
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Yeah, the little-racer graphics were great, especially since I missed the second GS. Thanks.
Congrats to the amazing victory of a very determined and talented young woman. It's hard for any of us who don't do what she does to really appreciate the long hours, hard work and dedication it took to accomplish this win. But I think, at our American core, we get it. Struggling through sometimes great adversity to achieve success became the identifying character of those millions of future Americans who flocked to this country from every corner of the world. It is in out collective DNA. And Ms. Shiffrin's amazing success should give us all hope that when a committed collection of Americans decide to accomplish something great, well, it's in the bag.
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Where is the adversity of having a doctor father and a full time mother-coach, a bunch of other coaches and resources diverted away from other very talented other women and men? Ms Shiffrin's story is not a sustainable, repeatable model for athletic achievement; or any other field-of-play.
Great story -- and terrific graphics!
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The sight of USA olympic athletes glorying behind the USA flag is disgusting.
Even the Russians have better taste this Olympics; they use the Olympic flag and abandoned the music patriotic anthem.
Millions of Americans have NOTHING in common with these near-teenagers who will get millions in endorsements from Kellog's wheaties, etc, when they come home. This is the first olympics I am ignoring, but then I don't own a tv by choice.
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You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. The Russian team was penalized for doping--They can't use the Russian flag. As for sponsors, these racers must use their time in the sun to build for the future. I know a gold-medal winner in GS who couldn't afford OLN, when they carried alpine. She worked hard then and works hard now. And she's one of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet.
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The Russians have no choice but to play and perform under the Olympic flag. That is the price they paid for doping. Their clean athletes compete and march under the Olympic flag. If they win gold, they hear the Olympic anthem. Some say they got off easy. But I think it's a just humiliation.
As for America's supposed jingoism, it's common to every country. Every nation is pulling to win. And yet, there is a spirit of cooperation and sportsmanship as well. The American and Norwegian skiers trade information on slope conditions, for example.
You would know all this if you bothered to watch. -- thegamesmenplay.com
The Russian athletes are not competing under the Olympic flag by choice or out of “sportsmanship” or “taste.” Rather, their country was banned from the Olympics due to longstanding and systematic cheating in the form of doping among many, many Russian athletes.
Congratulations to Amy and her hard work in pursuit of her well deserved Gold medal. Please refrain from gun sounds to describe performances that are positive. American is #1 in Guns but not in the Olympics.
As a beginning level skier, I thoroughly enjoyed the composite image of Ms. Shiffrin's skiing downslope. What a picture of laminarity! Perfect, perfect!
What joy to see her ski!
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She killed it.
She's the best skier I've ever seen.
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A outstanding effort! Congratulations to her! (Do all the others in 4th and below get a "Participation Trophy"?)
Getting to be an Olympic competitor is 'participation trophy' enough, don't you think? Better than the rest of us mere mortals who ski and skate like duffers.
The alpine events, measured in milliseconds on that icy terrain, is beyond imagining in Walter Mitty-esque fantasies. But, watching the curling competition, I'll bet more than a few people were thinking, hey maybe I could do that!
That is an awesome "cartoon"/ graphic showing the race -- Please do that more often for other sports and races! Very cool.
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I love the alpine skiing events, especially the classic 3 events. Now I see the point of Super-G, too.
Even over and above her gold medal, I am so impressed by Shiffrin’s unapologetic determination and drive. She had a goal, laid out a plan to meet that goal, and intensely worked toward that goal for four years. When it didn’t work even as recently as her fall last month, she doubled down, not gave up. Too many times young girls and women are reluctant to say “I want” or “I will.” In an era when many women are famous for “being famous,” hard work and dedication still matters. Well done!
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It may just be me, but the olympics are feeling like a circus. And I believe circuses are becoming extinct.
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Just you!
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Terrific performance. I wish they would show more video pairs on TV skiing on the course. It really shows where the competitors made up or fell back. How about pairing Lindsey Vonn and Schiffrin in the downhill?
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Yes, a tragedy in FLA that we should never forget but as I read about this young lass’s perserverance my heart was lifted a bit. “What else do you wish to know?, Everything!” Is quote worthy.
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Great skier. Great athlete.
And, NY Times -- great graphic! Thanks.
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can we eliminate "begins with a bang" from the lexicon? On today of all days, this was particularly inappropriate.
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What a terrific, inspiring competitor you are, Mikaela Shiffrin!
Love the animation bit that allows the readers to see the race all over, again.
We need positive news like this, more than ever.
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the photo tell the story twice.
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epic
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Great story!!!
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Prior to Mikaela winning the gold in the giant shalom, I was filled with such glee and excitement when Shaun White, Chloe Kim and Redmond Gerard won gold in their events. But after yesterday's horrendous tragedy in Florida, I am filled only sadness, disbelief, and disgust. Somehow the Olympics seem utterly irrelevant and pointless. Congrats to Mikaela and Team USA. I just can't emotionally share in their joy and accomplishments.
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extraordinary commitment and focus along with the intense support of her family have allowed this amazing young woman to achieve her goals and make us all proud. We can learn something from this
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This young woman has worked so hard, especially in light of some real setbacks--what a joy it is to read something positive this morning. Good luck to her on Friday--may she win all the medals she tries for!
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What setbacks?
From the article: "But last month, she fell in her last giant slalom race and many in the ski racing community wondered if Shiffrin’s zeal to branch out to other events had left her distracted. Instead, she was convinced she needed to go back and work on the more basic techniques that she had studied and learned in the years since 2014.
In the two weeks since her tumble in her last giant slalom last month, she sequestered with her team of coaches and her mother. She rested some days and trained by herself in others."
What an amazing,inspired young woman—great role model too.
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Fantastic start to the Olympics for Shiffrin! Very glad Bill Pennington and the NYT have been reporting on Shiffrin and the women's alpine events, which have not received much (any?) prime-time television coverage as a result of the wind delays.
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Sorry, you're wrong. NBC showed the first half of the GS live last night during the 8 o'clock hour. I watched Shiffrin and the others' first run then. Mad props to her. Props also to Bode Miller as a commentator. He's excellent.
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