AP Interview: Stenmark says Shiffrin ‘better than I was’


              FILE - United States' Lindsey Vonn, right, celebrates her third place with Sweden former ski great Ingemar Stenmark after a women's downhill race, at the alpine ski World Championships in Are, Sweden, on Feb. 10, 2019. To Ingemar Stenmark, all this fuss over Mikaela Shiffrin as she approaches his record of 86 World Cup skiing victories is beside the point. Because the 66-year-old Swede believes the American is already on another level. “She’s much better than I was. You cannot compare,” Stenmark said in an interview with The Associated Press. “ (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
            
              United States' Mikaela Shiffrin shows her silver medal of the women's World Championship slalom, the gold medal of the giant slalom and the silver of the combined, in Meribel, France, Saturday Feb. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
            
              United States' Mikaela Shiffrin shows her silver medal of the women's World Championship slalom, the gold medal of the giant slalom and the silver of the combined, in Meribel, France, Saturday Feb. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
            
              FILE - In this Feb. 19, 1980 file photo, Sweden's Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden speeds down the Whiteface mountain on his way to win the giant slalom at the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, N.Y. To Ingemar Stenmark, all this fuss over Mikaela Shiffrin as she approaches his record of 86 World Cup skiing victories is beside the point. Because the 66-year-old Swede believes the American is already on another level. “She’s much better than I was. You cannot compare,” Stenmark said in an interview with The Associated Press. “ (AP Photo, File)
            
              FILE - Ingemar Stenmark gives the OK sign after after he won the World Cup Special Slalomat Madonna Di Campiglio, Italy, on Dec. 17, 1974. To Ingemar Stenmark, all this fuss over Mikaela Shiffrin as she approaches his record of 86 World Cup skiing victories is beside the point. Because the 66-year-old Swede believes the American is already on another level. “She’s much better than I was. You cannot compare,” Stenmark said in an interview with The Associated Press. “(AP Photo)
            
              FILE - Swedish ski star Ingemar Stenmark in action in the World Cup Special Slalom, in Madonna Di Campiglio, Italy, on Dec. 17, 1974. To Ingemar Stenmark all this fuss over Mikaela Shiffrin as she approaches his record of 86 World Cup skiing victories is beside the point. Because the 66-year-old Swede believes the American is already on another level. “She’s much better than I was. You cannot compare,” Stenmark said in an interview with The Associated Press. “ (AP Photo)
            
              FILE - Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden put on a big cowboy hat and showed off his medal after he won the World Cup Giant Slalom ski race on March 7, 1984 in Vail, Colorado. To Ingemar Stenmark, all this fuss over Mikaela Shiffrin as she approaches his record of 86 World Cup skiing victories is beside the point. Because the 66-year-old Swede believes the American is already on another level. “She’s much better than I was. You cannot compare,” Stenmark said in an interview with The Associated Press. “ (AP Photo/Armando Trovati)
            
              United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during the first run of the women's World Championship slalom, in Meribel, France, Saturday Feb. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)
AP Interview: Stenmark says Shiffrin ‘better than I was’