Lindsey Vonn emphatically stated that she has no one to prove her worth to by skiing; rather, she is doing it for herself. The 41-year-old has been competing against all odds, returning to the Olympics after six years of retirement.
The American female skier who won the downhill gold in 2010 has qualified for the 97-person U.S. Ski and Snowboard Olympic roster.
Lindsey Vonn Clarifies Why She Continues to Pursue Further Skiing Success
Vonn made her comeback in the 2024–25 season but struggled to find her rhythm in the early races, until securing her first podium in the Super-G finals at Sun Valley. Her journey improved steadily from there, as she trained tirelessly in the gym and on the slopes, culminating in a dominant return in the St. Moritz downhill this season and achieving a monumental victory.
She secured multiple third-place finishes this season and recently claimed first place in the Zauchensee downhill event. Following her exploits in Tarvisio, Vonn is headed to Crans-Montana, and along the way, she made a glamorous stop at Self magazine, where she featured on their latest cover story.
In a recent Instagram post, she shared a carousel of pictures, showcasing herself as a fashion icon in elegant ensembles. In her caption, the 84-time World Cup winner expressed that she has nothing more to win and no one else to prove.
“I’ve won everything I could have ever won. I’m not doing this to prove anything to anyone. I’m doing this for me,” she wrote.
Vonn underwent surgery in 2024 for a partial knee replacement, addressing the injuries she had suffered throughout her life.
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During her feature with Self, the 41-year-old Vonn shared her comeback story and explained why she chose to resume a career in such a physically demanding sport. While many doubted her and misunderstood her decision as stemming from a sense of unfulfillment, Vonn clarified that she did not reverse her retirement to fill a void.
Rather, she finally felt free of pain and able to ski again, all thanks to her mental fortitude and the limits she pushed in training. Vonn is one of the six skiers to medal at all five alpine skiing events, and stands as the third-highest in super ranking, only behind Mikaela Shiffrin and Ingemar Stenmark.
The Olympian also featured in her eponymous documentary, in Sports Illustrated swimsuit editions, hosted The Pack with her former canine best friend, Lucy, and made significant strides in the business realm as well.
