Olympic skiing legend Lindsey Vonn has graced the cover of TIME magazine’s November 2025 issue, an emotional milestone that the 41-year-old athlete dedicated to her late mother in a heartfelt social media post.
Vonn, who staged a remarkable comeback to competitive skiing after retiring in 2019, shared her joy and tears on Instagram, writing: “MOM, I’M ON THE COVER OF TIME MAGAZINE!!!” She recalled how TIME was one of her mother’s favorite magazines, picturing her reading issues in bed with ice cream in hand back in Minnesota.
“I know she would be proud,” Vonn added, her eyes filling with tears mid-workout. The three-time Olympic medalist described the cover as representing “resilience, reinvention, and finding strength in every fall.”
“I’m just a girl from Minnesota who wanted to ski fast,” she reflected. “But this cover represents something much bigger… People might forget my medals, but they’ll remember that no matter how many times I went down, I always got back up.”
At 41, Vonn continues to defy expectations. Following a partial knee replacement in 2024 that incorporated titanium implants, she returned to the World Cup circuit last season with consistent top-15 finishes. This month, she made history by winning a downhill race in St. Moritz, Switzerland, on December 12—becoming the oldest skier ever to claim a World Cup victory and notching her 83rd career win.
Vonn’s message of perseverance resonates widely: “My hope is that anyone reading this remembers: never give up on yourself. Never stop dreaming.” She emphasized that following her heart and passion has already made her a winner, regardless of future results.
The TIME feature, photographed by Chris Gurney, highlights Vonn’s unprecedented bid for a fifth Olympic appearance at Milano Cortina 2026. Vonn thanked the magazine’s team, including Jessica Sibley, Sam Jacobs, E. Kelliher, and S. Gregory, for bringing the moment to life.
As Vonn pushes limits on the slopes once more, her story inspires a new generation to believe in what’s possible—no matter the age or obstacles.
