In a triumph of resilience and sheer determination, American alpine skiing legend Lindsey Vonn has officially qualified for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, securing her spot in the downhill discipline and marking what she calls her “fifth and final” Games.
The 41-year-old Vonn, who returned to competitive skiing in late 2024 after a nearly six-year retirement and partial knee replacement surgery, has dominated the early World Cup season. With four podium finishes in five speed events—including a victory in St. Moritz and multiple thirds in Val d’Isère—she leads the downhill standings and has distanced herself from American teammates, earning one of the U.S.’s four Olympic quota spots in the event.
U.S. Ski & Snowboard confirmed the qualification on Tuesday, highlighting Vonn’s remarkable results as proof of her enduring elite-level performance.
Vonn’s comeback was inspired in part by the Olympic downhill venue in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, where she has claimed 12 World Cup victories. “I don’t think I would have tried this comeback if the Olympics weren’t in Cortina,” she said earlier this year. “There’s something special about Cortina that always pulls me back.”
Retiring in 2019 due to injuries, Vonn already boasts three Olympic medals: gold in downhill (Vancouver 2010) and bronzes in super-G (2010) and downhill (PyeongChang 2018). Her return has rewritten records, including becoming the oldest World Cup winner earlier this month.
While she has locked in downhill, Vonn is also the top American in super-G and poised for additional qualification.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Vonn said of her season so far. As the Milano Cortina Games approach in February 2026, the skiing world watches to see if the iconic American can add to her legacy on the slopes she knows best.
