Vonn Skies off; Shiffrin wins silver

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February 22, 2018 8:13 AM

The moment was set up perfectly for the kind of magic the Olympics are known for. Lindsey Vonn, having won the downhill segment, was last to go out of the gate in the slalom part of the Olympic Alpine combined event Thursday, with a chance at a medal, maybe even a gold.

In all likelihood, it was to be her final Olympic run.

Vonn is no slalom skier, but with a cushion from her fine downhill, she had a chance.

But despite her best efforts, Vonn could not conjure any slalom magic. She missed a gate early and was eliminated. Michelle Gisin of Switzerland won the race.

Mikaela Shiffrin was sixth in the downhill but third in the slalom and won the silver medal, 0.97 seconds back. Wendy Holdener of Switzerland won the bronze.

It was not Shiffrin’s best slalom. She lost time in virtually every interval, but she did manage a big finish in the final 100 yards, which were much steeper and technically difficult. She made up nearly a second there. But she lacked her usual, uber-aggressive attacking style on the top of the slalom course.

Vonn had put herself in strong position with the best downhill run of the day. Shiffrin, too, looked to be in good shape.

But Gisin, a versatile skier — although one without any World Cup wins this year — combined a third in the downhill with a fourth in the slalom, good enough for a win.

Shiffrin picked up her second medal of the games after winning the giant slalom. Vonn finished the games with one bronze, in the downhill. She has hinted that she will not be back four years from now.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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