Lindsey Vonn, 41, returns from knee surgery to join U.S. Olympic team

Olympic Comeback for Lindsey Vonn

After a hiatus from the 2022 Olympics, Lindsey Vonn is back, and it feels quite right. The 41-year-old has officially rejoined the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team, which consists of 97 members, including 50 women and 47 men.

Vonn missed the 2022 Beijing Games because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament. However, following a partial knee replacement surgery, she returned to competitive skiing last season and quickly began to showcase her impressive skills that earned her four World Cup overall titles.

This season, she has already clinched two World Cup downhill races, raising her career total to 84. She’s positioned as a strong contender for speed events in Cortina, having won earlier this month.

Interestingly, Vonn mentioned that she feels maybe in the best shape of her career despite her surgery. With each victory, she not only solidifies her status but also extends her record as the oldest winner in the 60-season history of the World Cup circuit. Her recent win marked the 45th in downhill events.

Vonn’s Olympic journey includes a golden moment at the 2010 Vancouver Games, where she snagged her sole gold in the downhill. She also took home a bronze medal in super-G that same year, along with another bronze in downhill at the PyeongChang Games in 2018.

Other Olympic Hopefuls

Alongside Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin will also be competing in her fourth Olympics, while Chloe Kim aims for her third gold medal. Shiffrin is looking to rebound after a disappointing four years ago when she went 0-6 in medal attempts. Nevertheless, she shone brightly in the 2014 Sochi Games with a gold in slalom and repeated the feat in giant slalom at the 2018 Games. This season, she’s made a name for herself in slalom, winning six races.