Lindsey Vonn’s aspirations for Olympic glory were dashed on Sunday following a catastrophic crash that left her with a broken leg.
The 41-year-old athlete experienced a terrifying fall, tumbling down the slope in Cortina after her ski clipped a flag merely 13 seconds into her downhill attempt. She was promptly airlifted to a hospital in Treviso, where surgeons operated on her injured left leg.
According to the hospital’s statement, Vonn underwent orthopedic surgery in the afternoon to stabilize the fracture in her left leg.
Following the procedure, she was moved to intensive care, primarily for increased privacy rather than urgent medical reasons. The U.S. team has confirmed that the 2010 Olympic gold medalist is in a ‘stable’ condition.
The crash was horrifying, with Vonn’s screams of pain echoing across the piste. This incident occurred a mere nine days after she sustained a rupture of her cruciate ligaments during a preparatory event in Switzerland. Despite the injury, Vonn surprisingly announced her decision to compete in Italy, raising eyebrows as she recorded the third fastest time in the final practice run.
Unfortunately, the crash abruptly ended her participation in what was her fifth Olympic appearance, leaving a poignant mark on her illustrious career. Vonn has yet to make a public statement regarding the incident.
Team USA shared an update on Lindsey Vonn’s condition after her devastating crash
The former Olympic champion crashed during the women’s downhill final on Sunday
Vonn was taken off the slope and to a local hospital via helicopter after the premature finish
Vonn sped over a hill and careered into one of the plastic markers on the side of the track before hitting the ground. Her right leg appeared to hit the ground first, as a cloud of powder engulfed the American. Vonn then tumbled forwards again, appearing to smash her shoulder into the ground, before coming to a halt on the slope.
The Cortina crowd fell silent as medical crews arrived to attend to Vonn, who was later airlifted off the mountain.
Serious concerns were raised when Vonn, whose skis had not detached from her boots, was seen wincing in pain as she lay on her back in the snow. The American was also heard crying out in agony as the medics placed her onto a stretcher.
Around six hours after the horror incident, the US Ski and Snowboard Team also shared an update on Vonn’s condition.
‘Update: Lindsey Vonn sustained an injury, but is in stable condition and in good hands with a team of American and Italian physicians,’ a spokesperson said.
Vonn’s horrified family watched on in shock from the base of the slope. Her sister, Karin Kildow emotionally opened up on the devastating scenes.
‘I mean that definitely was the last thing we wanted to see and it happened quick and when that happens, you’re just immediately hoping she’s okay,’ Kildow said on NBC, per USA Today.
‘And it was scary because when you start to see the stretchers being put out, it’s not a good sign. But she really … she just dared greatly and she put it all out there. So it’s really hard to see, but we just really hope she’s okay.
The American is transported into the back of an ambulance after being carried of the run
Vonn, who ruptured her ACL just before the Winter Olympics, appeared to lose control as she glided over a jump just 13 seconds into her run
‘She does have all of her surgeons and her PT staff here and her doctors, so I’m sure they’ll give us a report and we’ll meet her at whatever hospital she’s at.’
Vonn had defied the impossible by coming back to compete after rupturing her ACL prior to the Games and had completed multiple training runs in the build-up to Sunday’s event.
While concerns have arisen over whether the 2010 Olympic champion was taking a risk in entering the competition – having undergone a reconstruction in her right knee back in 2024 and rupturing her ACL before the tournament – Vonn had made the decision to compete in Sunday’s downhill final.
She had posted a time that was 1.39 seconds off the fastest run during a training session on Friday.
The American, who has won 84 World Cups across multiple alpine skiing events during her glittering career, would improve on that on Saturday, posting a time of one minute and 38 seconds, which was 37 seconds shy of team-mate Breezy Johnson, who went on to claim gold on Sunday.
As Vonn left the gates on Sunday, her coach was heard shouting, ‘keep charging, keep pushing’.
The downhill event was subsequently suspended, with other competitors removing their skis at the top of the slope as they waited for Vonn to be evacuated.
