American skiing superstar Lindsey Vonn will compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina despite suffering a “completely ruptured” ACL in a crash on Friday.Vonn had said in a recent Instagram post that her “Olympic dream is not over” and the 41-year-old’s confirmation at Tuesday’s press conference in the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium will have Team USA fans breathing a sigh of relief ahead of the Games.Vonn lost control after landing a jump at a World Cup race in Crans-Montana and was seen crashing into the safety nets. After being treated by medics, the 2010 Olympic gold medalist was able to ski slowly down to the finish line but was clearly feeling discomfort. She was eventually airlifted to a hospital for further evaluation, as is standard practice for competitors injured during their runs.She was the third skier to crash during the morning’s action. The rest of the day’s runs were eventually canceled due to low visibility.Vonn is scheduled to race in the women’s downhill event on Sunday at this year’s Games, before also competing in the super-G and combined team competition. Her training runs are set to begin on Thursday, ahead of the Olympic opening ceremony.Vonn revealed at Tuesday’s press conference that, despite suffering extensive damage to her left knee, she went skiing earlier in the day. She said that her knee felt stable, is not swollen and – with a knee brace – she’s “confident I can compete on Sunday.”Vonn made a remarkable comeback last season after nearly six years away from the sport, despite undergoing partial knee replacement surgery, and is currently leading the World Cup downhill season standings.A downhill medal at Milan Cortina would break Vonn’s own record she set in 2018 as the oldest woman to make the podium in the discipline at a Winter Games and mark a triumphant bookend to her Olympic career.Asked where she would rank the moment in her career if she were to start and medal in the downhill on Sunday, Vonn said: “Well, I will make it to the starting gate … This would be the best comeback I’ve done so far. Definitely the most dramatic, that’s for sure.“A pretty damn good comeback if I can pull it off.”
American skiing superstar Lindsey Vonn will compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina despite suffering a “completely ruptured” ACL in a crash on Friday.
Vonn had said in a recent Instagram post that her “Olympic dream is not over” and the 41-year-old’s confirmation at Tuesday’s press conference in the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium will have Team USA fans breathing a sigh of relief ahead of the Games.
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Vonn lost control after landing a jump at a World Cup race in Crans-Montana and was seen crashing into the safety nets. After being treated by medics, the 2010 Olympic gold medalist was able to ski slowly down to the finish line but was clearly feeling discomfort. She was eventually airlifted to a hospital for further evaluation, as is standard practice for competitors injured during their runs.
She was the third skier to crash during the morning’s action. The rest of the day’s runs were eventually canceled due to low visibility.
Vonn is scheduled to race in the women’s downhill event on Sunday at this year’s Games, before also competing in the super-G and combined team competition. Her training runs are set to begin on Thursday, ahead of the Olympic opening ceremony.
Vonn revealed at Tuesday’s press conference that, despite suffering extensive damage to her left knee, she went skiing earlier in the day. She said that her knee felt stable, is not swollen and – with a knee brace – she’s “confident I can compete on Sunday.”
Vonn made a remarkable comeback last season after nearly six years away from the sport, despite undergoing partial knee replacement surgery, and is currently leading the World Cup downhill season standings.
A downhill medal at Milan Cortina would break Vonn’s own record she set in 2018 as the oldest woman to make the podium in the discipline at a Winter Games and mark a triumphant bookend to her Olympic career.
Asked where she would rank the moment in her career if she were to start and medal in the downhill on Sunday, Vonn said: “Well, I will make it to the starting gate … This would be the best comeback I’ve done so far. Definitely the most dramatic, that’s for sure.
“A pretty damn good comeback if I can pull it off.”
