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| American, 17, Wins in Slalom and Makes Herself a Favorite in Sochi | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| One day after the American Ted Ligety became the first man in 45 years to win three events at one world championship, his 17-year-old teammate Mikaela Shiffrin became the youngest female world champion in 28 years with a come-from-behind victory in the slalom. | One day after the American Ted Ligety became the first man in 45 years to win three events at one world championship, his 17-year-old teammate Mikaela Shiffrin became the youngest female world champion in 28 years with a come-from-behind victory in the slalom. |
| Shiffrin was in third place after the first of two runs on Saturday in Schladming, Austria. Then, with a crowd of 30,000 roaring during her second run, she chased down her more veteran rivals to become the third-youngest women’s slalom world champion in history. | |
| “I can’t process it yet — it’s just amazing and emotional,” Shiffrin said in a conference call with reporters. “It was a challenge, and I had some nerves, but I couldn’t be happier with the result. I’m so grateful to everyone who’s helped me.” | “I can’t process it yet — it’s just amazing and emotional,” Shiffrin said in a conference call with reporters. “It was a challenge, and I had some nerves, but I couldn’t be happier with the result. I’m so grateful to everyone who’s helped me.” |
| Shiffrin’s winning time, 1 minute 39.85 seconds, was 0.22 of a second better than the second-place finisher, Michaela Kirchgasser of Austria. Frida Hansdotter of Sweden was third, 0.26 of a second behind Shiffrin. | |
| The victory, along with her three World Cup slalom victories this season, will emphatically install Shiffrin as the favorite for the slalom gold medal at next year’s Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Shiffrin acknowledged that she would be in the spotlight but said it was not the foremost thought on her mind. | |
| “Everyone keeps bringing up Sochi to me,” she said. “But it is a long way away, even if it will come up quick. I’m focused on right now.” | “Everyone keeps bringing up Sochi to me,” she said. “But it is a long way away, even if it will come up quick. I’m focused on right now.” |
| For the United States team, it was the fourth gold medal and fifth medal over all at these world championships, more than any other country’s team. | For the United States team, it was the fourth gold medal and fifth medal over all at these world championships, more than any other country’s team. |
| Julia Mancuso won a bronze medal in the super-G. | |
| Shiffrin’s parents and her brother, Taylor, were at the race Saturday, cheering her on and hugging in celebration afterward. | Shiffrin’s parents and her brother, Taylor, were at the race Saturday, cheering her on and hugging in celebration afterward. |
| “It was great getting to the bottom and seeing them there,” said Shiffrin, who is a senior at the Burke Mountain ski academy in Vermont. “It’s something I’ll never forget. They’re such a big part of my heart.” | “It was great getting to the bottom and seeing them there,” said Shiffrin, who is a senior at the Burke Mountain ski academy in Vermont. “It’s something I’ll never forget. They’re such a big part of my heart.” |
| Shiffrin, at 17 years 340 days, is the youngest female world champion in any discipline since the American Diann Roffe-Steinrotter, who was 21 days younger when she won the giant slalom title in 1985. | Shiffrin, at 17 years 340 days, is the youngest female world champion in any discipline since the American Diann Roffe-Steinrotter, who was 21 days younger when she won the giant slalom title in 1985. |
| The only slalom world champions younger than Shiffrin were Hanni Wenzel of Liechtenstein in 1974 and Esmé Mackinnon of Britain in 1931. | The only slalom world champions younger than Shiffrin were Hanni Wenzel of Liechtenstein in 1974 and Esmé Mackinnon of Britain in 1931. |
| CANADIAN BOBSLED WIN Canada’s Lyndon Rush won his first two-man bobsled World Cup overall title after finishing fourth in the season-ending race in Sochi. Rush, a runner-up last season at the world championships, won two titles and had two more top-three results this season with the brakeman Jesse Lumsden. (AP) | |