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Paris - American alpine skiing star Mikaela Shiffrin announced on Monday that her father Jeff has died.
The 24-year-old, who has been coached for many years by her mother, said his death aged 65 was "unexpected".
"My family is heartbroken beyond comprehension about the unexpected passing of my kindhearted, loving, caring, patient, wonderful father," Shiffrin wrote on Twitter.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist skipped the speed events in Sochi last weekend, saying she was focusing on training.
"Mikaela is expected to remain in Colorado, and her return to the World Cup is unknown at this time," American skiing's governing body said in a statement.
Shiffrin leads Italian Federica Brignone by 270 points at the top of the overall World Cup standings after 22 of 40 races as she bids for a fourth straight title.
There are two downhill races and a super-G this weekend in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
My family is heartbroken beyond comprehension about the unexpected passing of my kindhearted, loving, caring, patient, wonderful father. Our mountains, our ocean, our sunrise, our heart, our soul, our everything. He taught us so many valuable lessons... pic.twitter.com/sqJB5SlOrn
— Mikaela Shiffrin (@MikaelaShiffrin) February 3, 2020
...but above everything else, he taught us the golden rule: be nice, think first. This is something I will carry with me forever. He was the firm foundation of our family and we miss him terribly...
— Mikaela Shiffrin (@MikaelaShiffrin) February 3, 2020
...Thank you, from the depths of my heart, for respecting my family's privacy as we grieve during this unimaginable and devastating time.”—Courtesy of Mikaela’s Team ????
— Mikaela Shiffrin (@MikaelaShiffrin) February 3, 2020
