Mikaela Shiffrin and Simone Biles share Olympic Games heartbreak ahead of Milano Cortina 2026 - 'I wanted to cry'
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Updated 30/01/2026 at 11:15 GMT
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Mikaela Shiffrin and Simone Biles have been through a lot at the Olympic Games. But both were there for the other in their darkest moments. Shiffrin reached out to Biles when the gymnast was suffering from the 'twisties' at Tokyo 2020 and the seven-time Olympic champion returned the favour when her compatriot went without a medal at Beijing 2022. Since then, a mutual respect has blossomed.
Highlights: Shiffrin wins record ninth slalom World Cup title in Kitzbuhel
Video credit: TNT Sports
Alpine skiing and gymnastics may be worlds apart, but Mikaela Shiffrin and Simone Biles have a lot in common.
Both have claimed multiple gold medals at two separate Olympic Games and both have endured struggles on their highly-anticipated returns.
After sweeping up a quartet of Olympic titles at Rio de Janeiro, Biles was undone in Tokyo by the mental block known as the 'twisties', causing her to withdraw from the team, individual all-round, vault, uneven bars and floor events.
Nevertheless, the American went on to claim bronze in the balance beam and won a fan for life in her compatriot Shiffrin.
"It was really powerful to see you stand there, shoulders tall, head high, cheering on your own team-mates, being there to be such a supportive force when you couldn't get on the mat yourself," Shiffrin said in a conversation with Biles on the former's YouTube channel.
"And then to still be able to compete and perform, as well, I thought that opened the door for a lot of possibility for athletes."
Shiffrin contacted Biles during the Games to express her support and respect, a gesture which was thoroughly appreciated by the gymnast.
"I remember being in Tokyo when you reached out and I knew you could relate automatically, not just because of the success, just because how difficult our sports are," Biles said.
"And I was like, ‘Wow, she didn’t have to take the time out of her day to reach out, but she understands what I’m going through'.
"Even though you haven’t gone through it physically, as an athlete, the respect that you have. I was just like, ‘Wow, she’s such a huge role model.’ And I appreciated that so much."
Less than a year later, Biles returned the favour as Shiffrin came unstuck at Beijing 2022.
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‘It's gone, it's over! A nightmare!’ – Shiffrin crashes on first run of giant slalom
Video credit: TNT Sports
Despite being favourite to add at least one more gold to the two she claimed at Sochi and Pyeongchang, Shiffrin suffered a DNF (Did Not Finish) in both the giant slalom and slalom.
"I'm just watching and I was like, `No, it's happening.’ I just wanted to cry," Biles said. "For you to reach out and now it's happening to you… I’m like, I see me in her, and I know exactly how she is feeling."
The pair were reunited at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where Biles was crowned champion once more in the vault and all-around, and helped the USA to the team title.
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Shiffrin expected their meeting to be brief, but was pleasantly surprised by the "amazing" conversation that made her "feel lighter".
"I didn’t know what to expect because obviously she was really busy in Paris right after her events, so I thought maybe we just say hi, a quick hug, congratulations," Shiffrin said.
"I felt like when I walked into the restaurant and saw you there, and your sister and your mum were there, you were just so free. It made me feel lighter.
"We sat and talked for quite a while, and talked about everything. Of course, her experience in [Tokyo] and comparing our experiences with the Olympics, but also just competing and the expectations that people have when they anticipate you’re going to win everything – just the sort of similarities in that mentality.
"So it was really cool. She just loves to laugh. She just giggles and it’s contagious. It was really amazing to meet her."
How to watch Winter Olympic Games
TNT Sports and discovery+ will be the go-to destination in the UK to watch all of Milano Cortina 2026 live, with more than 850 hours of action from every sport, venue and medal event.
Coverage will be made available to the widest audience ever, with discovery+ customers across all plans - starting at £3.99/month in the UK and €4.99/month in Ireland - able to access comprehensive live coverage with 24/7 coverage available through TNT Sports 2 and a selection of live event feeds.
TNT Sports 2 will serve as the primary Olympic destination, offering more than 200 hours of live event coverage, studio programming, replays and highlights, delivering round-the-clock storytelling from Milano Cortina across all 17 days of competition.
WBD’s coverage of the Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026 begins on Wednesday, February 4 ahead of the Opening Ceremony at the iconic San Siro stadium on Friday 6 February, running until the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, February 22.
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