In a stunning display of resilience and grit, 41-year-old American skiing legend Lindsey Vonn declared on Tuesday that she remains “confident” about competing at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, just days after suffering a completely ruptured ACL in her left knee.
The injury occurred during a high-speed crash in low-visibility conditions at a World Cup downhill event in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on January 30. Vonn hit the safety nets hard, was airlifted for evaluation, and later confirmed the severe damage: a full ACL tear, bone bruising, and meniscal involvement in her left knee—compounding issues in a career already marked by a titanium implant in her right knee from prior surgeries.
Undeterred, Vonn underwent intensive physical therapy and tested her knee on snow as early as Tuesday. Appearing steady and without a limp at a press conference, she emphasized that her knee showed no swelling and felt stable with the support of a brace.
“My knee is not swollen, and with the help of a knee brace, I am confident that I can compete on Sunday,” Vonn said. “As long as there’s a chance, I will try… I will do everything in my power to be in the starting gate.”
The women’s downhill, her signature event, is scheduled for Sunday at the Tofane course in Cortina—where Vonn holds the World Cup record with 12 victories. Training runs begin Thursday, ahead of the Games’ opening ceremony on Friday. Vonn also intends to contest the super-G and the new team combined event, stating her goal is to “race everything.”
This latest setback is far from unfamiliar territory for the three-time Olympic medalist (gold in downhill and bronze in super-G in 2010, plus bronze in downhill in 2018). She has overcome major knee injuries before, including a torn right ACL in 2013 that sidelined her from the 2014 Sochi Games, and severe damage before the 2019 worlds—where she still claimed downhill bronze despite no LCL and multiple tibial plateau fractures.
“I’ve been in this position before. I know how to handle it,” Vonn said. “I feel a lot better now than I did in 2019… This would be the best comeback I’ve done so far. Definitely the most dramatic.”
Teammates and experts back her resolve. Fellow U.S. skier Bella Wright called Vonn’s mental toughness unmatched: “If anyone can do it, it’s Lindsey.” Downhill world champion Breezy Johnson noted that many elite skiers race without an intact ACL. Italian chief physician Andrea Panzeri pointed to precedents like Sofia Goggia’s silver-medal performance at the 2022 Beijing Games weeks after a partial ACL tear and fibula fracture.
Vonn’s remarkable form this season—leading the World Cup downhill standings with two wins and multiple podiums after a nearly six-year retirement—has made her one of the most anticipated stories of these Games. Her decision underscores an unyielding spirit, further fueled by a recent emotional visit to the grave of her late childhood coach, Erich Sailer, who she believes would urge her forward with his signature line: “It’s only 90 seconds. What’s 90 seconds in a lifetime? It’s nothing. You can do it.”
As the Olympics kick off, all eyes will be on Vonn and whether her body can match her unbreakable will on one of skiing’s toughest stages.
