Lindsey Vonn stunned the international sports world when she came out of retirement to compete in the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games. The 41 year-old, a world champion alpine ski racer, had been retired since 2019. She returned to competition nearly six years later at the World Championship circuit in 2025. There, at age 40, she made history as the oldest female downhill skier to win a race. Her top-tier results landed her a spot on Team USA in Milan.
Competing in the Olympics was nothing new for Vonn. Following her World Championship debut at the age of 16, Vonn raced in both the slalom and combined events at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. Although her best result was sixth place in the combined race, Vonn wasn’t discouraged. At the 2006 Turin Games, Vonn raced in every available alpine skiing event. Still not placing on the podium, Vonn returned to the 2010 Vancouver Games at the age of 25. This time, Vonn secured two medals for Team USA,winning bronze in Super-G and gold in the downhill race. Lindsey Vonn captured the attention of millions worldwide.
The next couple of years, however, brought some misfortune for Vonn. At the 2013 World Championships in Austria, she suffered a catastrophic crash. She tore her ACL and MCL in her right knee. Despite undergoing a surgery that repaired her ACL, Vonn missed out on the 2014 Olympics after she re-tore her ACL in November of 2013. She returned for the 2018 Pyeongchang Games where she won the bronze medal in the downhill race. Soon after this, Vonn announced her official retirement from the sport in February of 2019 following the World Championships in Sweden. She cited various injuries as the reason for her exit from the sport.
However, in April 2024, Vonn underwent a successful partial knee transplant at the age of 40. With the return of her normal physical capabilities, she was determined to finish her career on her own terms. Equipped with a brand-new, partially titanium knee, she vowed to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
She was set to do exactly that until January 30, roughly a week before the start of the Milan Cortina Games. During a downhill skiing race in Switzerland at the Alpine Ski World Cup, Vonn crashed into safety nets mere seconds into her run. She remained down for several minutes, although she eventually got up and skied to the finish line in visible discomfort. She entered a medical tent while clutching her left knee, and was soon airlifted to a nearby hospital.
It was released to the press that Vonn had ruptured her ACL in her left knee, as well as suffered damage to her meniscus and bruised her bone. Despite these injuries, she was set on racing at the Olympics. This was nothing out of the ordinary for Vonn, considering her reputation for pushing through injuries to compete in races.
On Sunday, February 8, Lindsey Vonn took her starting position at the top of the mountain’s course for the downhill event. Pushing off, she mirrored past performances and exhibited the confidence she’s gained through decades of experience. 15 seconds into the race, Vonn lost control, collided with a red gate and slid down a portion of the mountain. Though she remained motionless, her cries of pain were audible.
Eventually, Vonn was placed on a gurney and airlifted to a clinic in Cortina. She was then transferred to a larger hospital in Treviso, Italy. So far, she has had three surgeries to stabilize the complex tibia fracture in her left leg. She is expected to have at least two more.
Although it is possible that Vonn could return to the sport within a year at a quick recovery pace, it is unlikely. Given her age, her recovery will likely be slower than that of a younger athlete. However, with the correct mindset, there’s a chance Vonn isn’t finished with professional skiing yet. Regardless, she made her stance clear on her Instagram. She has “no regrets,” and encourages others to “have the courage to dare greatly.”