Lindsey Vonn has redefined the sport of alpine skiing over the past two decades. Through the years, she established herself as one of the greatest of all time. Since she made her debut in the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup at the age of 16, Vonn has been to the podium 145 times. She’s won the overall title four times, including three consecutive championships from 2008 to 2010. The 41-year-old is also an eight-time medalist at the World Championships.
Vonn competed in her fifth Winter Olympics this year. Entering the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, the Saint Paul, Minnesota native had already won three medals. Her bid for a fourth, however, ended in disaster.
Leonhard Foeger/Reuters via Imagn Images
Vonn crashed in the downhill final on Feb. 8. She clipped a gate 13 seconds into her run, resulting in a violent crash. She was later diagnosed with a fractured left leg, which marked the end of her fifth Winter Olympics stint.
On Saturday, Vonn announced that she underwent another round of surgery on her leg. She also revealed that she will be heading back to the United States after getting the clearance to travel home. Vonn will not take part in the closing ceremonies and will now cheer on Team USA from the comfort of her own home.
In her announcement post, Vonn shared a video of her final practice run before her crash. Everything went well in her “last run.”
“This was my last run before my Olympic race. A classic Cortina day❤️thankful I have this memory,” Vonn wrote.
Unfortunately for the skiing icon, her performance in the downhill final did not go as planned. She missed her chance at securing what would have been her fourth medal in her fifth Olympic appearance.
It now remains to be seen if Vonn will be able to go for a sixth. The next Winter Olympics is still four years away, and she will be 45 by then.
At this point, Vonn has not revealed her future plans. Right now, she is focused on her rehab. Then again, Vonn ended her post with a promising statement: “I am still looking forward to the moment when I can stand on the top of the mountain once more. And I will.”