Lindsey Vonn’s heroic try at Olympics immortality led to devastating agony.
Vonn, 41, crashed throughout her girls’s downhill run on the 2026 Winter Olympics on Sunday, February 8, which got here simply 9 days after she fully tore her ACL.
The crash occurred 13 seconds into the American skier’s run. Vonn might be heard screaming in agony whereas being attended to by medical employees on the Olympia delle Tofane course in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
Vonn was finally airlifted off the course by a helicopter, an identical scene to the one which performed out on January 30 when she tore her ACL throughout a World Cup Race in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
The 2026 Winter Olympics are formally right here — and Crew USA is arriving in Italy with star energy, storylines and sky-high expectations. Because the world’s greatest athletes descend on Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, all eyes are on the Individuals: from Ilia Malinin’s can’t-miss second in males’s determine skating to Mikaela Shiffrin’s long-awaited redemption tour on (…)
“Lindsey Vonn sustained an damage, however is in steady situation and in good palms with a crew of American and Italian physicians,” the U.S. Ski & Snowboard crew mentioned in a press release on Sunday.
In a photograph captured by Related Press photographer Jacquelyn MartinVonn’s proper ski pole will be seen clipping a gate, which led to the crash.
A large display screen reveals US’ Lindsey Vonn receiving help after a crash within the girls’s downhill occasion in the course of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Video games on the Tofane Alpine Snowboarding Centre in Cortina d’Ampezzo on February 8, 2026.
Tiziana FABI / AFPThe day earlier than the occasion, Vonn defended competing regardless of her damage in a response to sports activities medication physician Brian Sutterer.
“lol thanks doc,” Vonn posted by way of X on Saturday, February 7. “My ACL was absolutely functioning till final Friday. Simply because it appears inconceivable to you doesn’t imply it’s not potential. And sure, my ACL is 100% ruptured. Not 80% or 50%. It’s 100% gone.”
Vonn additionally referred to as out USA In the present day‘s Greg Graber on Saturday, who wrote a column questioning why Vonn was competing with a torn ACL.
“I’m sorry Greg however this can be a very odd opinion piece,” Vonn wrote by way of X. “The ache and struggling is the purpose? I’m looking for that means? Why am I taking threat “at my age?” This ageism stuff is getting actually previous.”
Lindsey Vonn has the complete assist of her teammate Breezy Johnson on the 2026 Olympics, at the same time as she powers by means of an ACL damage. “There shall be six Individuals working the Downhill coaching runs and if Lindsey can’t compete … or doesn’t really feel aggressive sufficient others can take her place,” Johnson, 30, wrote by way of Threads on (…)
She continued, “My life doesn’t revolve round ski racing. I’m a girl that likes to ski. I don’t have an id problem, I do know precisely who I’m. I used to be retired for six years and I’ve an incredible life. I don’t must ski, however I like to ski. I got here all this fashion for one closing Olympics and I’m going to go and do my greatest, ACL or no. It’s so simple as that. And respectfully, for those who don’t know the story, it is likely to be greatest to not make assumptions.”
Vonn revealed she had fully torn her ACL on Tuesday, February 3, however vowed to see by means of her Olympic comeback, which got here after she introduced her return to the game in November 2024.
“Nicely… I fully tore my ACL final Friday,” Vonn shared by way of Instagram. “I additionally sustained a bone bruise (which is a standard damage whenever you tear your ACL), plus meniscal tears however it’s unclear how a lot of that was there beforehand and what was new from the crash. This was clearly extremely exhausting information to obtain one week earlier than the Olympics. I actually respect everybody giving me time and house to course of what occurred and discover a manner ahead.”
She continued, “After intensive consultations with docs, intense remedy, bodily exams in addition to snowboarding at the moment, I’ve decided I’m able to competing within the Olympic Downhill on Sunday. In fact I’ll nonetheless must do one coaching run, as is required to race on Sunday, however… I’m assured in my physique’s skill to carry out. Regardless of my accidents my knee is steady, I wouldn’t have swelling and my muscle groups are firing and reacting as they need to. I’ll clearly be persevering with to judge with my medical crew every day to verify we’re making sensible choices however I’ve each intention of competing on Sunday.”