Even with a torn ACL in her knee, American skier Lindsey Vonn took part in the Olympic downhill run. Unfortunately, her participation in those fifth Winter Games ended after just 13 seconds.
Lindsey Vonn recently had a tough break in her shinbone after a fall at the Olympics. She got treated first in an Italian hospital and had a few surgeries on her injured leg. She’s now back in the U.S., but according to The Guardian, she's facing more surgeries.
“I haven’t stood on my feet for over a week... I’ve been lying still in a hospital bed since the race. Even though I can’t stand yet, it feels amazing to be home,” she posted on X. “Big thanks to everyone in Italy for taking such good care of me.”
After starting the race, she faced a lot of online criticism for competing while injured. But Vonn said she doesn’t regret a thing. “Just knowing I stood there with a chance to win was a victory in itself. I also knew racing is risky. It always was, and always will be, an incredibly dangerous sport,” she wrote last week on social media.
She’s sharing her tough recovery journey with her fans. She recently posted photos from the hospital on Instagram. “I’m thankful for all the amazing healthcare workers, friends, family who have been by my side, and the beautiful outpouring of love and support from people all over the world,” she wrote in her post.
The End of a Career
This season, Lindsey Vonn was on the podium in every World Cup downhill race, winning twice and keeping her lead in the discipline. She’s the most successful downhill racer in history with 45 World Cup wins. She initially ended her career in 2019 due to health issues, but in 2024 had a knee surgery with a partial titanium replacement and made a comeback to competitive skiing at age 40 in December.
She hasn’t commented on whether she’ll return to the slopes, but her dad recently mentioned in an interview that this injury might be the end of her career. “She’s 41, and this is the end of her career,” Alan Kildow said in a phone interview with the Associated Press. “If it’s up to me, Lindsey Vonn won’t be racing again.”
