Taylor Swift Celebrates Mikaela Shiffrin's Historic Olympic Gold

The 14-time Grammy winner praised the skier's record-breaking slalom win at the 2026 Winter Games.

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

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Mikaela Shiffrin, the most decorated skier in Olympic history, won gold in the slalom event at the 2026 Winter Games, becoming the first U.S. skier to win three Olympic gold medals. After Shiffrin quoted lyrics from Taylor Swift's song "Ruin the Friendship" in an Instagram post celebrating her victory, the 14-time Grammy winner left a congratulatory comment, praising the historic achievement.

Why it matters

Shiffrin's gold medal win solidifies her status as one of the greatest skiers of all time, and her connection to pop superstar Taylor Swift adds an extra layer of cultural significance to the accomplishment. The exchange between the two stars also highlights the power of social media to foster connections between athletes and celebrities.

The details

Shiffrin, 30, won the slalom event with a combined finish time of 1:39.10, putting her 1.50 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. This marked her second Olympic gold medal in slalom, with the first coming in Sochi in 2014. In her Instagram post celebrating the win, Shiffrin quoted lyrics from Swift's song "Ruin the Friendship," which is featured on the singer's latest album "The Life of a Showgirl." Swift, a known fan of Shiffrin, left a comment on the post, writing "HISTORIC 🥇🥇🥇."

  • Shiffrin won gold in the slalom event at the 2026 Winter Olympics on February 19, 2026.
  • Shiffrin quoted lyrics from Taylor Swift's song "Ruin the Friendship" in an Instagram post celebrating her victory.

The players

Mikaela Shiffrin

A 30-year-old American professional skier who is the most decorated skier in Olympic history and the first U.S. skier to win three Olympic gold medals.

Taylor Swift

A 35-year-old American singer-songwriter who is a 14-time Grammy winner and one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

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What they’re saying

“HISTORIC 🥇🥇🥇”

— Taylor Swift (Instagram)

The takeaway

Mikaela Shiffrin's historic Olympic gold medal win and the subsequent praise from her idol, Taylor Swift, demonstrates the power of sports to transcend boundaries and connect athletes with their fans and cultural icons. Shiffrin's achievement solidifies her status as one of the greatest skiers of all time, while the exchange with Swift highlights the unique ways in which social media can foster meaningful interactions between athletes and celebrities.