Mikaela Shiffrin dismissed comparisons to Olympic great Michael Phelps as the American looks to add to her one Games gold medal in Pyeongchang.

Shiffrin, 22, became the youngest slalom champion in Olympic alpine skiing history with her success in Sochi in 2014, at the age of 18.

Phelps retired for the second time in 2016, having become the most decorated Olympian in history with 23 gold medals.

Shiffrin, who could compete in all five alpine events – downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super-G and combined at the 2018 Games, played down any suggestions she could match the champion swimmer.

"You're crazy. OK. He has, what, 23 medals?" she said on Saturday.

"And I know it's a comparison between sports and I don't think there's a sport in the Winter Olympics where you can win 23 medals across three or four Olympics.

"I could never imagine myself even in the same sentence as Michael Phelps.

"It's extremely flattering, but I don't see it – it's apples and oranges."

Shiffrin is unsure just which events she will compete in at the 2018 Olympics, saying it will depend on her fitness.

"I would like to compete in everything but I'm not sure if I'm going to have the energy to do that," she said.

"Right now I'm focusing on GS [giant slalom] and slalom and after that I'll be switching the focus to speed [events].

"The decision ends up being with the coaches as to who's the best medal contender but I always have the option to pull myself out of races if I don't feel prepared.

"Right now we're looking at any possibility, actually."