Team USA Provides Update on Lindsey Vonn Following Crash at 2026 Olympics
Lindsey Vonn faced yet another injury after crashing during her ski run on Sunday, February 8, at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
An Italian hospital reported that Vonn “underwent an orthopedic surgery to stabilize a fracture in her left leg” on Sunday, and she is currently “receiving treatment from a multidisciplinary team.”
“She’ll be fine, but it’s going to be a lengthy process,” said Anouk Patty, chief of sport for U.S. Ski and Snowboard, on Sunday. “This sport is unforgiving, and viewers should remember that these athletes are descending a mountain at incredibly high speeds.”
Earlier that day, the Ski and Snowboard team announced that Vonn was “in stable condition.”
Vonn, 41, crashed just 13 seconds into her women’s downhill run, where she was heard screaming in pain. The professional athlete was airlifted from the course, reminiscent of her crash nine days prior, where she tore her ACL during a World Cup Race in Switzerland.
The 2026 Olympics were intended to mark Vonn’s triumphant return to the sport. Despite retiring in 2019, she chose to make a competitive comeback in 2024.
“Getting to these Olympics has been a journey, one that many doubted from the beginning,” Vonn stated via Instagram on Saturday, February 7, before her downhill run. “I retired for six years, but thanks to a partial knee replacement, I had the chance to compete again. The question everyone asks is why? But the answer is simple … I love ski racing.”
She elaborated, “I’m not uncertain about life outside of sport. I’m not searching for meaning, attention, or money. I know who I am and what I’m made of. I owe my amazing parents for instilling hard work and determination in me. My mother, watching over me, taught me the power of positivity and resilience. My father, who will be in the stands with family and friends, taught me the importance of hard work and mental toughness.”
Vonn emphasized that while she couldn’t “ensure a positive outcome,” she intended to put in her best effort.
“I assure you I will give it everything I have. Regardless of the result, I have already won,” she concluded her Instagram post. “The overwhelming support and love over the past few days have given me strength beyond words.”
Vonn still aimed to compete following her ACL injury earlier this month, in which she completely tore the ligament.
Lindsey Vonn is backed by her teammate Breezy Johnson at the 2026 Olympics, even as she copes with an ACL injury. “There will be six Americans participating in the Downhill training runs, and if Lindsey can’t compete or doesn’t feel competitive enough, others can step in,” Johnson, 30, shared via Threads on […]
“After extensive consultations with doctors, rigorous therapy, physical assessments, and skiing today, I have decided I am capable of competing in the Olympic Downhill on Sunday,” Vonn announced in a Monday, February 3, Instagram video. “Of course, I still need to complete one training run, as required to race on Sunday, but … I am confident in my body’s performance. Despite my injuries, my knee feels stable, there’s no swelling, and my muscles are responding as they should.”
Vonn also mentioned she would continue to “evaluate with [her] medical team daily” for any changes in her health leading up to the race.
“I fully intend to compete on Sunday,” Vonn stated. “I understand that my chances were different before this crash, but there’s still a possibility. As long as I have hope, I will not give up! It’s not over yet. Thank you to everyone who has reached out; your support fills me with strength.”
