Mikaela Shiffrin loans Sofia Goggia’s skis for combined event at Winter Olympics and ‘almost cries’ at message left

Updated 17/02/2022 at 09:14 GMT

‘Fly Mika, you can,’ read the note from Sofia Goggia as the Italian, who won gold in the downhill four years ago and then silver at these Games two days ago, loaned her Atomic skis to Mikaela Shiffrin. The American however recorded a DNF in the slalom discipline later on Thursday after finishing fifth in the downhill on Goggia’s skis.

‘I don’t have a really good explanation!’ – Shiffrin after third DNF

Mikaela Shiffrin borrowed Sofia Goggia’s skis for the downhill segment of the combined event at the Winter Olympics, and “almost started crying” at the message left by the Italian.

Goggia won silver in the downhill two days ago, and the 2018 Olympic champion leant her Atomic skis to Shiffrin as the American went for gold in the combined on Thursday.

She recorded a time of 1:32.98 on Goggia’s skis, and afterwards the US Ski and Snowboard Team’s Twitter account revealed the note that the Italian had left for Shiffrin.

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“Fly Mika, you can,” said the message. The tweeted added that Shiffrin nearly started crying when she read the message.

Shiffrin reportedly brought 60 pairs of skis to Beijing 2022, but she could well have Goggia to thank if she is to pick up her first medal of these Games.

‘No! All wrong again! - Shiffrin ‘just can’t get it together’ as she crashes out again

It has been a difficult Olympics so far for Shiffrin, who recorded DNFs in the giant slalom, slalom and then again in the slalom segment of the combined.

She finished ninth in the super-G and 18th in the downhill, and also revealed she will take part in the mixed team event on Saturday.