Mikaela Shiffrin appears on cover of Sports Illustrated after Sochi gold

After her gold medal performance in the women's slalom at the 2014 Sochi Games, Mikaela Shiffrin will appear on the national cover of this week's Sports

After her gold medal performance in the women's slalom at the 2014 Sochi Games, Mikaela Shiffrin will appear on the national cover of this week's Sports Illustrated.

Shiffrin, 18, is the youngest winner of a slalom event, a remarkable feat for Team USA's newest prodigy. She is the first U.S. women's slalom medalist since 1972.

In this issue of Sports Illustrated, Tim Layden writes about America's newest Olympic hero: an 18-year-old "teen idol" with her best days most likely still ahead.

PHOTOS: 2014 Sports Illustrated Covers

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