‘Physically, Emotionally, I Wasn’t on My A-Game’ — Lindsey Vonn Reflects on Pain of 2018 and Her Push Toward the 2026 Olympics

In the lead-up to the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, Lindsey Vonn faced a storm of adversity. She was preparing for what she believed would be her last Olympic run, still mourning her grandfather’s recent passing and recovering from a brutal crash in Lake Louise that left her with a knee injury. The weight of grief and pain shadowed her both mentally and physically as the Games approached.

Now, with the Milan Winter Olympics on the horizon, 41-year-old Vonn is chasing one last shot at glory. Despite her remarkable comeback last season, she has made it clear this will be her final Olympic chapter.

Lindsey Vonn on Struggles Ahead of 2018 Olympics

Despite challenges, Vonn performed impressively at the 2018 Olympics, winning bronze in the women’s downhill, finishing 0.47 seconds behind gold medalist Sofia Goggia of Italy, with speeds nearing 70 mph on the Jeongseon course. She also tied for 6th in super-G and dedicated her bronze to her grandfather.

In an interview with ESPN, Vonn reflected on how she felt ahead of the 2018 Olympics, saying: (0:20 onwards)

“The 2018 Olympics were hard because I knew it was going to be my last. My grandfather passed away just a few months before the games, and then I crashed in Lake Louise and dislodged a quarter-sized chunk of my cartilage. Physically and emotionally, I wasn’t at my A-game, and I don’t think I competed to the level I knew I could. It just wasn’t the Olympics I had hoped for- and definitely not the way I wanted to end my career.”

When asked how she will manage this emotional pain going into the 2026 Olympics, Vonn said that it is “going to be really hard” as her grandfather “meant a lot” to her. She also said her mom meant a lot to her, adding that she will “be there” with her.

Vonn’s Form Going Into The Milan Olympics

Vonn has reasserted herself as a leading favorite for gold in Milan, stacking up victories and podiums throughout the 2025-26 season. At the St. Moritz opener in December 2025, she dominated the downhill by nearly a full second, notching her 83rd World Cup win and setting a new record as the oldest World Cup race winner. Days later in Zauchensee, she blazed through the shortened downhill in 1:06.24, edging out Kajsa Vickhoff Lie by 0.37 seconds for her 84th career win.

Now preparing for her fifth Olympic appearance, Vonn is hungry to add to her collection of three Olympic medals. Her lone gold came in the downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Games, a triumph she hopes to repeat in Milan.