American alpine skiing phenom Mikaela Shiffrin was disqualified from her second race at the Beijing Olympics on Wednesday, after she fell in the first run of the slalom.
The 26-year-old, who was one of the favorites to win the event, skied out after the third gate. Following her elimination, Shiffrin spent several minutes sitting on the side of the course, her head down. At the 2014 Olympics, Shiffrin won gold in the slalom, and she took home the top medal again in 2018 in the giant slalom.
Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn tweeted her support, saying she was "gutted" for Shiffrin, but "this does not take away from her storied career and what she can and will accomplish going forward. Keep your head high."
On Monday, Shiffrin skied out of the women's giant slalom after she fell turning at the fifth gate. That was the first race she was unable to finish since January 2018. After the event, Shiffrin said it was "a huge disappointment," but it "also happens." She still has several opportunities to compete in Beijing, including in the super-G, downhill, and combined downhill events.