Grieving Father's Death, Skier Mikaela Shiffrin Focuses on Beijing: 'I Feel the Spark Returning'

Mikaela Shiffrin, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and six-time world champion, has never been the type to let anything distract her from her quest to ski down a mountain faster than anyone else.

And with just days to go until the Beijing Winter Olympic events begin on Feb. 3, the 26-year-old two-time Olympian from Edwards, Colorado, has emerged as the most decorated alpine skier in U.S. history. And she is well on her way to becoming the winningest racer — male or female — in the world.

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It's a feat that's even more remarkable given the devastating loss she suffered after the accidental death of her 65-year-old father and mentor Jeff Shiffrin, an anesthesiologist, from a head injury in February 2020. His death left her wondering if she wanted to even continue racing.

To read more about Mikaela Shiffrin's journey to the 2022 Winter Olympics, pick up this week's PEOPLE.

"It's taken so long just to get to this point," Shiffrin tells PEOPLE in this week's magazine. "I'm not even close to being done grieving, but every day I feel that spark and motivation returning. It's like healing from an injury. You get to the point where you can race again, but it still hurts sometimes."

Her father's death ultimately ended up strengthening her passion for the sport that has made her a legend. "I still love it," says Shiffrin, who admits that losing her dad "definitely changed" her perspective toward what's important in life.

"I've learned you have to live your life and do the things you like and be who you are. I'm getting my fire back ... With every day that passes, I'm able to put more energy back into skiing."

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Shiffrin will need all the fire she can muster in the coming weeks in Beijing, where she hopes to compete in five different racing events. Her only concern is that she — along with everyone else —has never raced on the mountain where the downhill alpine events will be held due to the pandemic. "I'm excited," she says. "But it's also a little nerve-wracking."

With over a decade of racing behind her and a staggering 73 World Cup victories, Shiffrin is determined to bring home as many medals as she can from the upcoming Olympics.

And after that? "If I had a checklist, I think it would pretty much all be checked off at this point," she admits. "But I know I can still push things a little bit father and accomplish just a little bit more."

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, visit TeamUSA.org. Watch the Winter Olympics, beginning Feb 3, and the Paralympics, beginning March 4, on NBC.