Lindsey Vonn's dream to win one last gold got shattered 13.4 seconds into the women's downhill at Cortina d'Ampezzo on Sunday after the 41-year-old clipped a gate with her right shoulder and cartwheeled terribly down the slope.
Per the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team report, the Minnesota native fractured her left leg in the scary crash and was airlifted to Ca' Foncello Hospital 15 minutes after her heartbreaking accident. She underwent surgery to fix her damaged leg. They confirmed Vonn remains in stable condition under the care of American and Italian physicians.
The worst part? She was already competing at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics with a knee brace after tearing her ACL in Switzerland just one week before the Opening Ceremony. She was committed to pushing past her limit for a comeback this Olympics but was left with zero options without undergoing emergency surgery.
Leonhard Foeger/Reuters via Imagn Images
U.S. Ski and Snowboard chief of sport Anouk Patty offered a sobering assessment of Vonn's road ahead, noting she will face a lengthy process. Patty emphasized that crashes are an unavoidable part of alpine skiing, where athletes race downhill at extreme speeds and put their bodies at risk every run.
Rapper Lil Wayne praised Vonn’s heart, determination and sacrifice for her team and country in a post on social media. Now, tennis great Rafael Nadal, who has dealt with serious injuries of his own, also sent flowers to the three-time Olympic medalist.
He wrote, “💪🏼 @lindseyvonn , you are a great inspiration and an example of perseverance. Stay strong and get well soon! 😘”
Vonn retired in 2019 after fighting with injuries but announced her return in late 2025 following a partial titanium knee replacement in April 2024. While her teammate Breezy Johnson won the first gold medal for the USA in these Olympics in the same race, Vonn is set to miss the rest of the games.