An unexpected crash Sunday ruined Lindsey Vonn’s dreams of a strong Olympic comeback. Barely seconds into the women’s downhill race at the Olympia Delle Tofane course, the 41-year-old skier crashed into a gate, which further damaged her left knee.
Following the crash, Vonn was airlifted from the site to the hospital by the local authorities. She is currently recovering in the hospital, as per the latest available reports.
What Is the Current Condition of Lindsey Vonn?
Vonn stunned everyone with her fifth qualification for the Winter Olympics. Despite the ACL injury on her left knee sustained weeks before the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, Vonn had maintained that she wouldn’t back out from the race, come what may.
Vonn entered the women’s downhill on May 8 as one of the top favorites for the gold medal. She was already leading the downhill category at the FIS World Cup for the 2025-26 season.
However, the crash ruined her prospects at the Winter Olympics. Her teammate Breezy Johnson went on to win the gold medal, while Emma Aicher of Germany and Sofia Goggia of Italy won the silver and the bronze medals respectively.
According to recent media reports, Vonn underwent an orthopedic operation to stabilize a fracture in the same left leg where she sustained an injury a couple of weeks ago.
According to a short statement issued by the US Ski and Snowboard Team on social media,
“Lindsey Vonn sustained an injury, but is in stable condition and in good hands with a team of American and Italian physicians.”
The 41-year-old former Olympic champion alpine skier had made her Olympic debut at the age of 17 in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. However, she finally tasted success at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, where the then 25-year-old skier won a gold medal and a bronze medal respectively.
Vonn also won three consecutive FIS World Cups from 2008 to 2010, as well as another World Cup in 2012. An injury prevented her from repeating her heroics at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, but Vonn returned to clinch another bronze medal in the women’s downhill event at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
The alpine skier then won a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships before retiring from the sport due to recurring knee injuries. Vonn didn’t stay away for long and announced her comeback in late 2024 after undergoing a knee implant surgery.
However, following her latest injury, Vonn’s dream to end her skiing career on a perfect note has been ruined.
