Lindsey Vonn’s Olympic Journey Continues Despite Setback

Lindsey Vonn, the seasoned skier, is not letting a recent accident derail her Olympic aspirations. At 41, she’s still gearing up for the upcoming Winter Olympics, which start next week, following a serious mishap on Friday that required her to be airlifted from the slopes.

Due to a knee injury she sustained during the incident, Vonn did not compete in Saturday’s final pre-Olympic super-G race in Switzerland.

Her coach, Chris Knight, confirmed in a text message, “No, she is not racing today; she is preparing for Cortina as usual.”

Vonn aims to compete in the 2024 Olympics without officially retiring, though the injury poses a challenge since recovery time is limited.

Her first event is the women’s downhill race next Sunday, and indications suggest she also hopes to join the super-G and team combined events.

After her fall, Vonn shared an optimistic note, stating that she was consulting with her doctors and team while undergoing assessments. “My Olympic dream is not over,” she asserted.

Although she missed the last training session before the Milan-Cortina tournament due to her injury, she expressed her support for her teammates, saying, “Unfortunately, I won’t be able to race today… I wish all my teammates a great race 💪🏻🇺🇸. Thank you for all the love and support I have received. It means the world to me.”

Vonn is in preparation for what will be her fifth and final Olympics, hoping to add to her medal tally, which includes a gold from 2010 and bronzes from both 2010 and 2018.

As the only American woman to win a downhill event and a two-time world champion, she has faced numerous injuries throughout her career, even undergoing surgeries on her knees. In 2024, she revealed she now has titanium knees.