Aleksander Aamodt Kilde opens up on injury nightmare ahead of Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and how Mikaela Shiffrin has been 'a rock'

Aleksander Aamodt Kilde is excited about the prospect of competing at a fourth Olympics in 2026. The Norwegian skiing star believes he is coming to the end of a two-year injury nightmare and can now look forward again. Kilde acknowledged how important fiancé Mikaela Shiffrin has been in his recovery. The Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina will be live on TNT Sports and discovery+ in February.

Norwegian skiing star Aleksander Aamodt Kilde believes he is finally coming through his injury nightmare and can start to focus on February's Winter Olympics.

The Olympics in Milano Cortina is now just 100 days away - with comprehensive coverage of the Games to come on TNT Sports and discovery+ - and Kilde says it is the rarity of the Olympics that makes it so special.

Kilde also talked about how supportive his fiancé, Mikaela Shiffrin, has been over the last two years.

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The 33-year-old first sustained a shoulder injury in a crash in Wengen in January 2024, and subsequent complications included contracting sepsis, which he previously described as being a "matter of life and death".

Now Kilde is on the way back to full fitness. And ahead of the Olympics, he was asked what makes the Games such a spectacle.

"The fact it's held every fourth year makes a huge difference, that's what actually makes it special," Kilde told TNT Sports.

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"It's bigger, it's worldwide, more than the World Cup. We're lucky that we have a World Cup that is big. The Olympics is not the only thing we have. It makes it a little bit easier to be an alpine skier.

"I think with the Olympics being every four years, it's always going to be special, and now having it back in Europe, I'm very excited about that - and in Italy, which is even better."

Kilde was full of glowing praise for Shiffrin, saying: "She has been a rock in this situation. She's also been through challenges with her crashes and all that.

"I feel like we could be there for each other, which is amazing, because we know exactly what we need.

"She gives me space when I need it. I give her space, this give and take culture that we have in our relationship is very important.

"She is always an inspiration to me, the way she handles things, the resilience she brings. I really admire what she does."

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Kilde has already competed at three Winter Olympics, and picked up two medals at the 2022 Beijing Games - silver in the combined and bronze in the super-G.

Now a fourth Games is very much on the cards for Kilde, who reflected that his comeback from injury has tested him both physically and mentally.

"It's been a mix of both, for sure," Kilde added. "I think mentally, it was tougher at the beginning with all the uncertainty and all the questions I had.

"Are the nerves going to come back? Is the shoulder ever going to be something I can use in my life and all those questions I asked myself? It was very hard mentally.

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"The physical part has been a challenge, but I've just stuck to the process, I've been patient and that's still the case.

"I'm not 100% yet, but honestly, I do feel some progress now, which has been stagnating for the last couple of months.

"The last couple of weeks have been very positive."

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Watch and stream the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 live on TNT Sports and discovery+

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