American skiing star Lindsey Vonn announced Tuesday that she ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee during a World Cup crash last week but plans to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The 41-year-old, who announced her comeback on November 14, 2024, said she tested her knee with a brace and feels confident for the women’s downhill event.
The injury happened January 30 during a downhill race in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, raising questions about her participation in the Milano-Cortina Games, which open February 6.
Vonn, a three-time Olympic medalist, aims to add to her legacy in what could be her fifth Olympics.
Vonn detailed the injury at a press conference, stating she has a “completely ruptured” ACL, bone bruising, and meniscal damage. “I completely tore my ACL last Friday,” she said, according to Tacoma News Tribune.
She added, “I also sustained a bone bruise (which is a common injury when you tear your ACL), plus meniscal tears but it’s unclear how much of that was there previously and what was new from the crash.”
The crash occurred when Vonn lost control and hit safety netting, leading to her being airlifted for medical evaluation. She underwent exams and physical therapy over the following days.
Vonn skied Tuesday without pain or swelling, using a knee brace. “Considering how my knee feels, I feel stable, I feel strong, my knee is not swollen, and with the help of a knee brace, I am confident that I can compete on Sunday,” she told reporters, per Yahoo Sports.
The women’s downhill is set for February 8 on Cortina’s Olympia delle Tofane course, where speeds can exceed 85 mph.
Vonn acknowledged reduced podium odds but remains determined. “I know what my chances were before the crash, and I know my chances aren’t the same as it stands today, but I know there’s still a chance and as long as there’s a chance, I will try,” she said, according to Sports Illustrated.
Vonn’s career includes 82 World Cup wins, gold in downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, bronze in super-G there, and bronze in downhill at the 2018 PyeongChang Games. She retired in 2019 due to injuries but announced her return on November 14, 2024, following a partial right knee replacement in April 2024.
She returned to competition on December 7, 2024, at Copper Mountain, Colorado, and made her World Cup comeback on December 21, 2024, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, earning points in super-G races.
Her left knee injury follows the partial replacement of her right knee in 2024. Team USA has not issued a statement on her status. “I have to take it day by day,” she noted, per NBC News.
