Lindsey Vonn, at age 41, completed a second successful downhill training run in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, signaling her intention to compete for gold at the upcoming Milan Cortina Olympics. This comes just over a week after suffering an ACL rupture in her left knee – a remarkable feat considering her history of knee injuries and recent retirement.
Olympic Preparation Amidst Recovery
Vonn finished third in Saturday’s training run, 0.37 seconds behind teammate Breezy Johnson, and expressed confidence in her readiness to race. She is preparing to compete on Sunday while wearing a substantial brace over her injured knee.
This return to competition is particularly notable given Vonn’s past surgeries, including a partial titanium knee replacement in 2024. She had retired from professional skiing nearly six years ago before returning last season. A crash during the final World Cup downhill prior to the Olympics raised doubts about her participation, but she has since remained determined to compete.
Resilience and Determination
Despite a canceled training run earlier in the week, Vonn participated in both Friday’s and Saturday’s sessions on the Olympia delle Tofana downhill course. She finished 11th in Thursday’s training, though she noted that these runs are typically not performed at maximum effort.
“All good,” Vonn told the Associated Press, underscoring her positive outlook despite the challenges.
Vonn’s persistence is especially striking in light of her long career marked by significant physical hardship. Her ability to return to elite competition after such a recent injury highlights her exceptional resilience and dedication to the sport.
Her participation at the Milan Cortina Olympics is a testament to both her physical recovery and unwavering determination. The world will be watching to see if she can defy the odds and contend for a medal despite her circumstances.
