Skiing has always been a big part of Mikaela Shiffrin's life. Her dad ski raced all through college and her mom raced and coached skiing. The Shiffrins taught Mikaela and her brother, Taylor, to ski at a very young age. At two and a half years old, Mikaela made her first ski run down her driveway on plastic skis.

Mikaela loved skiing. From ages 8 to 11, she did hundreds of training runs on small hills to learn the skills of slalom skiing (障碍滑雪). When Mikaela was 11, she began to learn at the Burke Mountain Academy, a Vermont boarding school for skiers. She took classes, studied, and practiced her skiing. According to Burke Mountain Academy headmaster Kirk Dwyer, "What separated Mikaela from others was the degree of her commitment (投入) to be the best. Mikaela practiced more than anyone and believed in herself then and now." At age 14, Mikaela began her international career when she raced in the world championships for 13- and 14-year-olds. And she won!

By the time she was 17, she had already won her first World Cup race. "Living away from home four and five months at a time can be difficult," Mikaela says. "But it can also be exciting. I'm getting to see the world." When Mikaela began ski racing in Europe, her mother, Eileen, stayed with her. She worked as her high-school teacher while they were on the road. "She has always been a super-hard worker," says Eileen.

For Mikaela, working hard is a full-time job. Even her off-season is work time. "If you want something, just try your best," she says. At the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, 18-year-old Mikaela Shiffrin became the youngest slalom skier ever to win an Olympic gold medal.