PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — Mikaela Shiffrin, the almost unbeatable American slalom skier, proved she had successfully expanded her world-class repertoire by winning the 2018 Olympic giant slalom on Thursday.
After putting up the second-fastest time on the first run, behind the little-known Italian Manuela Moelgg, Shiffrin skied the top of second run with cool efficiency and a veteran’s precision. She built a huge lead that protected her against a slip-up with a handful of gates remaining. “I can go harder in the second run,” Shiffrin said after the first run. “And there’s nothing to hold back in the second run.