A breathless Mikaela Shiffrin answered the phone and asked to push back an interview with NBC five minutes.
When she called back, she explained the brief delay.
“I’m so sorry,” she said. “I was at the gym and I was trying to finish one last set before we spoke.”
Strength training is a newfound priority for the 21-year-old skier.
Shiffrin has traditionally focused on the technical disciplines, slalom and giant slalom, which require agility for quick turning. Now she is expanding her portfolio to include the speed disciplines, super-G and downhill, which require isometric strength to hold the tuck position longer and deeper.