Shiffrin upset for slalom title
Gasol denies reports of return
Katharina Liensberger held her right arm up in celebration before toppling over in the finish area and lying face down in the snow for a few moments.
The Austrian skier had also just toppled Mikaela Shiffrin.
By triumphing at the world championships Saturday, Liensberger ended the American’s record streak of four straight slalom titles. Shiffrin was the first to congratulate Liensberger. Shiffrin then stepped back when she saw a cameraman approaching.
This time, the stage belonged to Liensberger.
“It felt like flying a little bit, just getting faster with every gate, all the energy into each turn,” said Liensberger, who was fastest in both runs to beat overall World Cup leader Petra Vlhova by one second.
Shiffrin finished 1.98 behind and had to settle for bronze after capturing the title each time since Austrian Marlies Raich — competing under her maiden name Schild — won it in 2011.
After collecting her fourth medal in as many races, Shiffrin was asked if she was content with how everything went over these two weeks in Italy.
“A huge, resounding yes,” she said.
Having never before entered so many races at a worlds or Olympics, Shiffrin leaves Cortina with gold in combined, silver in giant slalom and bronze in super-G and slalom.
More remarkable is that Shiffrin has medaled in 10 straight races at worlds — and in 11 of her 13 starts at her next-biggest event after the Olympics.
Pau Gasol denied Spanish media reports that he reached a deal to return to Spain to play for Barcelona.
Gasol said on Twitter he remains “focused on my recovery and I am not ready to get back to competing.”
Media reports in Spain said he had chosen to return to the team where he began his career in the late 1990s.
The 40-year-old Gasol, who won two titles with the Lakers, has been trying to regain his fitness to be ready to play in his fifth Olympic Games. He said last year that he needed to play this season to have a chance of making it to Tokyo.
“As soon as I have something to announce, I will do so via my social media channels,” said Gasol, who has been out of action for almost two years after foot surgery.
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