Shiffrin wins fourth successive world slalom gold

American Mikaela Shiffrin became the first Alpine skier to win the same event at four successive world championships with a thrilling victory in the slalom on Saturday.

Shiffrin, 23, was only third after the first run but produced an electrifying second leg to claim victory by 0.58 seconds from Swede Anna Swenn Larsson, Reuters reported.

Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova, who won the giant slalom gold this week, was a full second back in third place.

Swiss Wendy Holdener, who had clocked the fastest time in a rain-hit first leg, saw her chances of a third gold medal vanish as she made a big mistake early in the last run of the day.

Austria’s Katharina Liensberger was fourth, meaning the Alpine powerhouse nation ended the championships without a single medal from the women’s races.

MARCO TROVATI/AP Mikaela Shiffrin of the US competes during the women's slalom at the alpine ski World Championships in Are, Sweden, on February 16, 2019.