Vonn reflects on Winter Olympics downhill crash and tibia injury | Winter Olympics News
Lindsey Vonn Defends Decision to Compete Despite Injury
American ski athlete Lindsey Vonn announced Monday that she suffered a complex tibia fracture during her downhill run at the Winter Olympics, a crash that may require multiple surgeries.
“While yesterday did not end the way I had hoped, and despite the intense physical pain it caused, I have no regrets,” Vonn stated in a social media post from a hospital in Italy, where she is receiving treatment.
Vonn, 41, clarified that her recent injury is unrelated to a previous anterior cruciate ligament rupture sustained during a World Cup race prior to the Milan-Cortina Games. She explained, “I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulting in my crash.”
The crash occurred just 13 seconds into her run, prompting a rescue helicopter to airlift her from the piste to a Treviso hospital. In her statement, Vonn expressed disappointment that her Olympic journey did not conclude as she envisioned. “It wasn’t a storybook ending or a fairy tale, it was just life. I dared to dream and had worked so hard to achieve it,” she said.
Vonn noted the small margins in downhill skiing, emphasizing that “the difference between a strategic line and a catastrophic injury can be as small as 5 inches.”
She returned to competitive skiing in late 2024 after nearly six years of retirement, gaining recognition as a strong contender for the downhill event at this year’s Olympics following two wins and seven podium finishes on the World Cup circuit.
Vonn’s crash may mark a significant turning point in her career, as she appears to face a lengthy recovery process following this latest injury.
