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Double winner at Plan de Corones: Mikaela Shiffrin
Photo: LISA LEUTNER / REUTERS
The American star ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin not only breaks one record after the other - but also a supposed taboo in her sport.
After her second victory in giant slalom at Kronplatz in Italy, Shiffrin spoke about her period and the problems of a competitive athlete.
"After yesterday I was pretty tired, I'm not having the best moment in my monthly cycle right now," she told the Austrian broadcaster ORF.
This makes her more tired, it should be normal to talk about it.
At Kronplatz, Shiffrin celebrated her World Cup victories number 83 and 84 and rose to the sole record holder in the alpine women on Tuesday.
If she stays in top form, she should also break Ingemar Stenmark's all-time record of 86 wins this season.
When asked about this record hunt, Shiffrin explained her tiredness with her period.
The ORF presenter showed understanding.
However, the broadcaster's translator seemed overwhelmed by the situation.
From the English words "I'm kind of in an unfortunate time of my monthly cycle" he constructed the German sentence: "It's very exhausting.
I don't even get to ride my bike, which I do every month.«
On Twitter, the incorrect translation mainly caused amusement.
However, users also pointed out that periods are still taboo in professional sports.
The cycle and performance
In a SPIEGEL survey in 2021, only four out of 17 Olympic bases stated that they take the topic into account at least in individual sports.
The period can lead to sluggishness or even abdominal cramps - and thus affect performance.
Cycle-based training, on the other hand, can have a performance-enhancing effect.
Last year, professional golfer Lydia Ko commented on menstrual cramps at a tournament in California - apparently leaving one commentator speechless.
Interviewer Jerry Foltz from the "Golf Channel" could only say "Thank you very much" to the openness of the New Zealander.
Ko broke the silence and said, laughing, 'I know you're at a loss for words, Jerry.
But that was just being honest.” Ko's outspokenness drew praise from many quarters.
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