Get ready, America. There’s a new gal on the slopes.
Mikaela Shiffrin is set to steal the nation’s heart at the Sochi Winter Games, and Sports Illustrated appears to be applying some serious pressure. The 18-year-old from Vail, Colo., landed on SI’s Olympic preview cover this week, dubbed “The Next Lindsey Vonn.”
The teen sensation is heading to Sochi as the reigning world champion and World Cup title-holder in slalom, in addition to being a medal contender in giant slalom. With Vonn out of the Olympics, she also happens to be the biggest American name on the mountain.
“Of course, it’s a really big bummer that Lindsey [Vonn] is not going to be there,” she told USA Today. “We’re all going to really miss her a lot. But I’m also really excited. I’m not really seeing pressure as a negative.”
Check out the SI cover below.
Photo via Twitter/@si_vault
