On Sunday, January 8, 2023, Mikaela Shiffrin scored her 82nd victory and matched Lindsey Vonn’s women’s World Cup skiing record.
HER boyfriend, Norwegian Aleksander Kilde, started his sporting career as a footballer before turning to alpine skiing.
Who is Mikaela Shiffrin’s boyfriend Aleksander Kilde?
Shiffrin is a distinguished US skier, claiming two Olympic gold medals.
She has won numerous World Cup championships and has now matched Lindsey Vonn’s record, as AP reported.
Kilde, 30, is an accomplished World Cup skier and competes in both downhill and Super-G – super giant slalom.
He previously competed at the 2014 and 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
Kilde has also taken part in three other World Championships where he scored six top 10 finishes.
He has earned the nicknames “Ironman” and the “Arnold Schwarzenegger of skiing” due to his ability to bench press 300 pounds.
He previously explained his attraction to the sport, saying: “I love the adrenaline and the feeling of speed and clean turns down the mountain.”
Kilde explained to the official Olympics website why he chose skiing over football: “It was a really hard decision, but in the end, I decided to be a skier and I am more than happy about that.
“Obviously, playing in a stadium with thousands of spectators would be amazing, but the feeling I have every time I drop out of the start gate is unbeatable.”
How long have Mikaela Shiffrin and Aleksander Kilde been dating?
The pair first met about seven years ago, according to reports. However, when Kilde first asked Shiffrin out, she turned him down.
Shiffrin, 27, told Reuters: “We met somewhere around seven years ago, and I think he started the conversation by saying ‘Hi.’ He also sent the first friend request.
“He technically asked me on a date later that year, but I sort of denied him.
“I thought I was being cute, but he seems to have taken it as a rejection.”
Even after that rejection, Shiffrin said he still remained “nice and friendly” towards her and “very respectful” when she dated other people.
The couple grew closer in 2021 when Shiffrin was dealing with the death of her father and Kilde was recovering from a serious injury that left him in crutches.
She said: “Last year he got in touch with me again with a really nice and supportive message to my family once I started racing again after my dad’s accident, and this time we just never stopped chatting.”
The pair went public about their relationship on Instagram in May 2021.
Kilde posted snaps of the couple to his Instagram page and captioned the photos: “If you know, you know… and now you know.”
Do Mikaela Shiffrin and Aleksander Kilde have children?
Shiffrin and Kilde aren’t married and don’t have any children.
They both seem to be focused on their sporting careers rather than starting a family right now.
The pair continue to have successful careers.