Lindsey Vonn Undergoes Surgery Following Olympic Crash

Just hours after an inspiring but tragic finish to her 2026 Olympic journey, Lindsey Vonn went straight into surgery.

Vonn crashed 13 seconds late during the women’s downhill race on Sunday morning, leading to her being airlifted from the scene. Initially taken to a clinic in Cortina, Italy, she was later moved to a larger facility in Treviso, where she underwent surgery for a reported fracture in her left leg.

The 41-year-old received care from a “multidisciplinary team” and had orthopedic surgery to stabilize her injury, as stated by the Cafonchero Hospital.

Earlier, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team confirmed she was in “stable condition,” being monitored by both American and Italian medical professionals.

Interestingly, Vonn approached the starting gate of the race with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee, which she sustained just nine days prior during a conditioning race in Switzerland. After coming out of retirement—following an earlier injury that forced her to step back in 2019—Vonn felt driven to compete now that the Olympics were on the horizon.

She had displayed promising form, achieving the third-best time in Saturday’s final practice run, which made her hopeful for a strong performance. However, the incident wasn’t due to her knee injury.

During the race, Vonn’s right arm became entangled in a gate while she was bypassing it, causing her to twist awkwardly in mid-air and ultimately leading to the crash. She remained on the ground with medical assistance for around 20 minutes before being airlifted, prompting the race to be paused.

This unfortunate incident marked a heartbreaking chapter in her return to the sport.

“It was definitely something we didn’t want to see. It happened so fast…” Vonn’s sister, Karin Kildow, shared with NBC while her sister was being treated. “She went all in. It’s tough to watch, but we hope she’s okay.”

“I know she puts her heart and soul into it, but sometimes things happen. This is a very dangerous sport,” she added, reflecting on the risks involved.

Breezy Johnson, a 30-year-old American skier, ended up securing the gold medal, clocking in at 1:36.10, making her the sixth competitor to race down the course. Germany’s Emma Eicher and Italy’s Sofia Goggia followed closely behind. Meanwhile, Jackie Wiles of the U.S. barely missed the podium, finishing fourth with a time of 1:36.96.

Johnson’s victory marked Team USA’s first medal at the 2026 Olympics, establishing her as the second American woman to clinch Olympic gold in women’s downhill, following in the footsteps of Vonn.