The mood turned somber as the crowd fell silent following Lindsey Vonn’s devastating crash.
Emotion overwhelmed former British downhill skier Chemmy Alcott, who shared the slopes with Vonn in their racing days, as he received treatment after experiencing an accident early on Sunday at the 2026 Winter Olympics—just 13 seconds into the downhill run.
The incident unfolded when Vonn fell during a conditioning run, damaging the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.
“I feel bad for being so emotional. I didn’t expect to be frozen on the side of the slope, unable to move,” Alcott expressed. According to a report, he added from the finish line of the course in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, “What we witnessed is that the top of the slope poses serious challenges, even for healthy athletes. She just injured her right knee. It’s brutal. Consider her family, her team, and herself. Reality hits hard—the risks were immensely high. If she fell, she’d be doubly at risk. Her body couldn’t handle it.”
“There’s both applause and a sense of hope for her well-being, but the background music feels uneasy,” he continued.
Vonn, 41, was eventually taken away on a stretcher and airlifted to a hospital by helicopter. The race was halted for about 20 minutes before it resumed.
“This sport demands a lot; it pushes you to go as fast as you can,” Alcott elaborated. “We gave a standing ovation as the helicopter took off.”
Following the incident and airlift, U.S. Ski & Snowboard confirmed that Vonn was undergoing evaluation by medical personnel.
Alcott later indicated that the three-time Olympic medalist would likely be transported to a hospital in Innsbruck, Austria, since local facilities were lacking necessary supplies. It was noteworthy that the doctor who had previously advised her on the ACL injury was also aboard the helicopter.
Alcott wasn’t alone in his distress on the course.
Vonn’s family and Team USA teammates displayed strong emotions throughout the interruption of the race. It felt almost surreal to process everything.
Among them was Breezy Johnson, who clinched gold in the women’s downhill after setting a remarkable pace. This marked the United States’ first gold medal at the Milan-Cortina Olympics.
Notably, Johnson became the second American woman to win an Olympic gold in downhill, following Vonn, who achieved this at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
“Breezy Johnson wouldn’t enjoy sitting here with the gold medal,” Alcott mentioned. “We all recognize what Lindsey has contributed to our sport. Lindsey had an early bib number, but with temperatures on the rise, it’s evident that later athletes face greater risks.”
