Lindsey Vonn’s Olympic Return Ends With Serious Injury
Lindsey Vonn has revealed that she suffered a complex fracture to her tibia during a violent crash in the Olympic downhill on Sunday, Feb. 8, an injury that will require multiple surgeries and a lengthy recovery.
The 41-year-old skiing legend shared the update in her first public comments since the crash, posting a message on Instagram that reflected both the physical toll of the accident and her perspective on risk and competition.
“While yesterday did not end the way I had hoped, and despite the intense physical pain it caused, I have no regrets,” Vonn wrote. “Standing in the starting gate yesterday was an incredible feeling that I will never forget. Knowing I stood there having a chance to win was a victory in and of itself.”
Crash Details on the Olympic Course
Vonn crashed during the downhill race on the Olimpia delle Tofane course in Cortina d’Ampezzo after hooking her right arm around the fourth gate. The contact twisted her body abruptly and flung her into the hard, snow-covered surface.
She tumbled end over end several times before coming to a stop. Medical personnel treated Vonn on the slope for approximately 13 minutes before loading her into a helicopter. Five minutes later, she was airlifted to a local hospital.
Following an initial assessment, Vonn was transferred to Ca’Foncello Hospital in Treviso, about two hours away. She underwent surgery later that day, with hospital officials and U.S. Skiing confirming she was in stable condition.
Addressing Her Prior Knee Injury
In her post, Vonn made a point of addressing speculation surrounding her health heading into the race. She clarified that a torn ACL in her left knee had nothing to do with the crash.
Vonn injured her knee on Jan. 30 during another fall in the final downhill race before the Milano Cortina Olympics. That injury included bone bruising and meniscus damage, but she said her knee was stable and strong by the time the Olympics began.
Skiing with a torn ACL is not unheard of in elite racing, and Vonn said she underwent intensive rehabilitation between the injury and the Games. Her preparation included pool workouts and plyometric training, and she completed two Olympic training runs without issue. In the second training run, she posted the third-fastest time.
“In downhill ski racing the difference between a strategic line and a catastrophic injury can be as small as 5 inches,” Vonn wrote. “I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulted in my crash. My ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever.”
A Career Defined by Risk and Resilience
Vonn acknowledged the inherent dangers of her sport in her message, emphasizing that she accepted those risks when she returned to racing.
“I also knew that racing was a risk. It always was and always will be an incredibly dangerous sport,” she wrote.
The injury comes during what was shaping up to be a remarkable comeback for Vonn, who retired in 2019 after years of knee injuries made it impossible to continue competing without constant pain.
After undergoing a partial knee replacement in April 2024, Vonn began contemplating a return to racing. In October, she explained that her initial retirement was driven by physical limitations rather than a lack of desire.
“I retired in 2019 because my body said no more, not because I didn't want to continue racing,” Vonn told USA TODAY Sports. “So I feel like this could be an incredible moment to end this chapter of my life and move forward in a really exciting and peaceful way.”
Why Cortina Mattered
Cortina d’Ampezzo held special significance for Vonn. It was the site of her first World Cup podium, a bronze medal in downhill in 2004, and 12 of her 84 World Cup victories came on the same slopes.
“To ski in an Olympics there, maybe have those be my final races, seemed a fitting end,” Vonn had said previously.
“It’s such a special place for me,” she said in October. “I don't think I would have tried this comeback if the Olympics weren't in Cortina. If it had been anywhere else, I would probably say it's not worth it. But for me, there's something special about Cortina that always pulls me back.”
A Dominant Season Before the Crash
Vonn’s return exceeded expectations. After mixed results early in her comeback, she finished the 2024 season with a silver medal in the super-G at the World Cup finals in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Following a full off-season of training, she opened the next season in dominant form. Vonn won the season’s first downhill in St. Moritz and another in Zauchensee. She reached the podium in all five downhill races and two of the first three super-G events.
She led the downhill standings and sat second in the super-G rankings, putting her in position to join Mikaela Shiffrin as the only skiers to win nine season titles in a single discipline.
What a Complex Tibia Fracture Means
A tibia fracture involves a break in the shin bone and requires immediate medical attention. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the tibia is one of the strongest bones in the body, and fractures typically occur only under significant force. Most patients cannot bear weight on the leg.
A complex fracture involves multiple breaks and damage to surrounding soft tissue, according to Yale Medicine. Treatment generally requires stabilization and surgical repair, with recovery often extending for months.
Despite the seriousness of the injury, Vonn framed her experience as part of a life lived fully.
“Similar to ski racing, we take risks in life,” she wrote. “I tried. I dreamt. I jumped. I hope if you take away anything from my journey it’s that you all have the courage to dare greatly. Life is too short not to take chances on yourself. Because the only failure in life is not trying.”
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