Lindsey Vonn took a tumble on the final descent ahead of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday, resulting in a noticeable limp as she put most of her weight on her left knee.
During a World Cup race, she lost control while landing a jump and ended up tangled in a safety net positioned at the top of the course.
After consulting with a doctor, Vonn managed to rise and carefully shift weight off her left knee, using a pole for support as she walked away.
She clicked her skis back on but paused to check on her injured knee.
Eventually, she made her way to the finish area and limped into a medical tent for treatment. The race was canceled shortly after due to crashes involving three of the first six racers.
Before entering the tent, Vonn appeared anxious, eyes closed as she embraced teammate Jacqueline Wiles, who was leading when the race was halted.
At 41, Vonn returned last season after undergoing titanium replacement surgery on her right knee and has been competing strongly this season with two wins and three podium finishes.
As for her events in the Olympics, Vonn’s first race is set for the women’s downhill on February 8th. She also planned to compete in the super-G and new team combined events.
All Olympic skiing events for women will take place in Cortina d’Ampezzo, where Vonn boasts a remarkable record of 12 World Cup victories.
It was just a week before the opening ceremony of Milan-Cortina when this incident occurred.
Vonn was slated to participate in a super-G at Crans-Montana on Saturday, which would have been her last race prior to the Olympics.
Initially, she clocked the fastest time at the first checkpoint but then lost her balance, raising her left arm and pole high as she tried to regain control. Unfortunately, she spun out and struck the net.
Vonn was the sixth skier to start, with two skiers ahead of her—Austria’s Nina Ortlieb and Norway’s Marte Momsen—also experiencing crashes.
Ortlieb lost control in the same area as Vonn, while Momsen hit the net just before the finish and had to be taken away on a sled.
The race faced delays due to these incidents; however, Wiles and Olympic champion Corinne Suter managed to complete their runs.
French competitor Romane Miradri remarked on the conditions, noting the snow made visibility quite poor.
“I can’t see anything. It’s bumpy everywhere,” she expressed, adding when asked about safety, “I just couldn’t see very well.”
Throughout her career, Vonn has had her share of crashes. A particularly severe one occurred during the 2013 World Championships in Schladming, Austria, where she was airlifted off the course after tearing her right knee. Though she returned the next season, injuries sidelined her again, preventing her from participating in the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
