PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — Mikaela Shiffrin said nervousness, not illness, led her to throw up before her first race Friday in the women’s slalom at the 2018 Winter Olympics, even though she initially told NBC it felt like she had a virus.
“No, that was just nerves,’’ said Shiffrin, the American skiing star who failed to medal in the slalom event despite winning the gold medal at the 2014 Olympics and arriving here as a heavy favorite to repeat.
Shiffrin, who finished fourth, indicated she initially shrugged off the vomiting episode.
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"That’s never ideal,’’ she said with a laugh when asked about the impact of throwing up before a race.