U.S. skier Mikaela Shiffrin to compete in downhill for first time

Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Mikaela Shiffrin will compete in the Olympic women's downhill for the first time, giving the top American skier an additional opportunity to turn around her disappointing 2022 Winter Games, she said Monday in Beijing.

"I'm planning to do it," Shiffrin told NBC. "My times are pretty good and in the mix. Speeds are pretty good.

"I will try to improve on some things without overdoing it anywhere."

Shiffrin, 26, clocked the 15th fastest time among skiers who didn't miss gates in the third training session for the event. Her 1:34.58 at the Yanqing National Alpine Skiing Center was the second-fastest among Americans, behind Jacqueline Wiles' 1:34.35.

Switzerland's Joana Haehlen logged the fastest time in the latest training session. Her 1:33.18 was 0.23 faster than Germany's Kira Weidle, the No. 6 downhill skier in the world.

Shiffrin, who entered the Olympics as a gold medal favorite, failed was disqualified from her two best events -- giant slalom and slalom. She ranks No. 1 and No. 2 in the world, respectively, in those events.

Italy's Sofia Goggia, who won gold in the downhill at the 2018 Winter Games, is the top-ranked skier in the discipline. She logged the fourth-fastest training time Monday in Beijing.

Norway's Ragnhild Mowinckel, who won silver in 2018, was third-fastest. She is the world's No. 16 downhill skier.

Shiffrin is the No. 1 overall alpine skier, but ranks 41st in downhill.

"Most of these women have a lot more practice in skiing good and fast downhill and those fine details of speed skating," Shiffrin said.

"I'm just hopeful it could be a nice, solid result. I think I have good speed and good opportunity. If anything, it's really important to get another run before the combined."

The women's downhill is Tuesday at the Yanqing National Alpine Skiing Center. That event airs at 10 p.m. EST Monday on USA.

"The track is spectacular and I have overthought the crap out of it over the last couple days so it's prob time to just point 'em straight and get low," Shiffrin wrote Monday on Facebook.

The first training for the women's alpine combined slalom is Wednesday in Beijing. The final for that event airs at 1:10 a.m. EST Thursday on USA.

Shiffrin claimed silver in the combined at the 2018 Winter Games. Switzerland's Michelle Gisin won that event.