Frank Rondel
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn’s bid for an improbable Olympic medal came to a sudden halt just 13.4 seconds into the women’s downhill final at the Milan Cortina Winter Games, as the American skier crashed hard before reaching the first timing marker, reports customreceipt.com, via NBC News. Competing only nine days after rupturing a crucial ligament in her left knee, Vonn had aimed to become the oldest Alpine skier, male or female, to medal at the Olympics.
Vonn pushed off as the 13th skier down the 1.6-mile Tofane course under clear, sunny conditions, tapping her poles together three times before leaving the gate. Moments later, she tumbled violently and hit her head, bringing her run to an abrupt stop. Screams of pain echoed across the broadcast, leaving the crowd—including her family—silent and tense. Medical teams quickly secured Vonn onto a stretcher, and she was airlifted from the course in a red bag while spectators watched helicopters pass overhead.
The American skier’s crash was all the more shocking given her recent performances. Vonn had finished with the third-fastest time during training just a day earlier, demonstrating resilience and strength despite her recent injury. Her sister, Karin Kildow, told NBC News that the family had been “very, very, very nervous for days” but remained optimistic on the morning of the race.
Breezy Johnson, another U.S. skier, had taken an early lead in the final with a time of 1:36.1, emphasizing the fierce competition Vonn faced. Known as one of the sport’s most thrilling events, the downhill requires skiers to navigate steep turns and jumps at speeds of up to 80 mph. Vonn, already a major star of the Games, faced widespread attention as spectators wondered if she could defy her injury to medal.
Vonn’s attempt to reclaim the Olympic downhill title came 16 years after her historic win at Vancouver, the only American woman to achieve that feat. She also earned two Olympic bronze medals in her career, in downhill in 2018 and super-G in 2010. Her comeback began in 2024 after retiring due to injuries, supported by robotically-assisted surgery on her right knee that had revitalized her confidence. This season she had podium finishes in all five World Cup races, including two victories, making her the oldest winner on the circuit.
However, Vonn’s recent crash in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, which required an airlift, raised doubts about her ability to compete again. Despite this, she avoided surgery, relied on a knee brace, and completed two successful training runs reaching 78 mph in preparation for Cortina. Vonn had an advantage of familiarity with the course, having won 12 of her 84 World Cup events there. Still, the downhill demanded pushing her injured knee beyond what she had done in training, a risky endeavor given the severity of ACL injuries that usually require months of recovery.
Addressing the skepticism around her participation, Vonn stated, “My ACL was fully functioning until last Friday. 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.” Her determination and previous performances underscored the extraordinary challenge she attempted, though the race ended in heartbreak.
Earlier we wrote that Milan Winter Olympics 2026 to Open Simultaneously Across Four Northern Italy Venues