Lindsey Vonn’s Courageous Olympic Bid Cut Short by Devastating Injury

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — In a tragic turn of events, Lindsey Vonn’s brave attempt to secure an Olympic medal came to an abrupt and painful halt on Sunday when she sustained a broken left leg just 13.4 seconds into the downhill final at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

Despite skiing with a brace after a recent ACL injury in her left knee, Vonn was unable to finish the race, marking a valiant bid to become the oldest Alpine skier, regardless of gender, to win an Olympic medal.

The day presented near-perfect weather conditions at the renowned Tofane course. Vonn, as the 13th competitor of the 36 scheduled, pushed off with determination, tapping her ski poles three times as she exited the gate. However, before reaching the first checkpoint, she suffered a dramatic fall, which included hitting her head and ultimately coming to a painful stop.

Lindsey Vonn is transported by helicopter from the course in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Francois-Xavier Marit / AFP – Getty Images

A tense silence fell over the awaiting crowd at the bottom of the hill, many of whom were her family members, as medical staff quickly attended to her. Vonn was placed on a stretcher and airlifted away from the course, much to the shocked onlookers’ dismay.

Regional governor Luca Zaia reported that Vonn required surgery to stabilize the injury, a fact corroborated by the hospital through the Associated Press and Reuters. Vonn’s sister, Karin Kildow, expressed her heartbreak, saying, “She put her whole heart into making the Olympics.”

“That’s definitely the last thing we wanted to see,” Kildow shared with NBC’s Cara Banks. “When that happens, you’re just immediately hoping she’s OK, and it was scary. When you start to see the stretchers being put out, it’s not a good sign.”

Team USA’s head speed coach Paul Kristofic confirmed that Vonn remained under medical care in Cortina and updates on her condition were forthcoming.

In the race itself, American Breezy Johnson led with a timing of 1:36.1, a time that just barely held for a gold medal finish. Johnson and Vonn now become the only American women to have won Olympic gold in downhill skiing. The race, however, will primarily be remembered for Vonn’s dramatic exit.

Vonn’s talent and resilience were evident despite her injury, as she recorded the third-fastest time during training sessions prior to the competition. Nevertheless, her fall was all the more poignant given the setting — Cortina is renowned as Vonn’s preferred venue.

Her counterpart, Breezy Johnson, noted the emotional challenge of competing on the course, especially after enduring her injury there in 2022. Yet, as Sunday’s race approached, curiosity peaked regarding whether Vonn could achieve a miraculous comeback just days after a severe ligament tear.

The legendary skier aimed to reclaim victory in the downhill, 16 years after her initial triumph at the Vancouver Olympics. Although injuries had previously prompted Vonn’s retirement, advanced robotic-assisted surgery and a consistently healthy season reignited her hopes.

Her return to the Blue Ribbon course was fueled by determination and familiarity — 12 of Vonn’s 84 World Cup victories were earned there. However, other skiers, including Johnson in 2022 and Mikaela Shiffrin in 2023, have also fallen victim to Cortina’s challenges.

Ultimately, Vonn’s bid required greater exertion than allowed during the less strenuous training sessions, testing the resilience of her injured knee. Her bold attempt to compete, despite the severe nature of an ACL injury, drew both incredulity and awe.

“My ACL was fully functioning until last Friday,” Vonn declared on Saturday. “Just because it seems impossible to you doesn’t mean it’s not possible. And yes, my ACL is 100% ruptured. Not 80% or 50%. It’s 100% gone.”

In an instant, the Olympic journey she courageously embarked upon concluded, as commentators Andrew Greif from Milan and Molly Hunter from Cortina d’Ampezzo reported.