The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics began Sunday morning with one of the most anticipated events of this year's Winter Games. United States skiier Lindsey Vonn, 41, was attempting to win her fourth career Olympic medal in the alpine skiing women’s downhill race on a torn left ACL.
Vonn gave a heroic effort, but she crashed approximately 15 seconds into the race after losing control over the opening traverse.
The race was stopped so she could receive medical attention on the snow, and the broadcast angered fans by showing her audibly in pain for several minutes until she was strapped to a gurney and airlifted off the mountain by helicopter.
On Sunday around 11 a.m. ET, the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team announced an update, stating that Vonn "sustained an injury, but is in stable condition" following the crash.
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The team first posted an official update on X shortly after the crash.
"Statement on Lindsey Vonn: Lindsey Vonn fell in the Olympic downhill and will be evaluated by medical staff," the team account said at 6:19 a.m.
After hours of uncertainty, the team followed up with the latest positive update on Vonn that provided a few more details.
"Update: Lindsey Vonn sustained an injury, but is in stable condition and in good hands with a team of American and Italian physicians," the team announced on social media.
It is unclear what injury she siffered and whether it was new or not. The latest injury updates on Vonn from AP prior to the crash confirmed that going into Sunday, she had already sustained a ruptured ACL, bone bruise and meniscus damage when she crashed in a pre-Olympic race on Jan. 30.
“I don’t need to ski, but I love to ski,” Vonn said in a viral X post on Saturday, defending her decision to race on the injured left knee. “I came all this way for one final Olympics and I’m going to go and do my best, ACL or no. It’s as simple as that.”
Vonn's sister, Karin Kildow, assured NBC reporters that Vonn had trusted medical staff on call, given the concerns coming into the race.
"I mean that definitely was the last thing we wanted to see and it happened quick and when that happens, you're just immediately hoping she's OK,” Kildow said. "She does have all of her surgeons and her PT staff here and her doctors, so I'm sure they'll give us a report and we'll meet her at whatever hospital she's at."
Regardless of Vonn's injury status, this was Vonn's final race of the 2026 Olympics and possibly her career. The medals were awarded after Sunday's race, with Vonn's American teammate, Breezy Johnson, securing the first gold medal for Team USA in 2026.
"I can't imagine the pain that she's going through," Johnson said of Vonn after the race. "And it's not the physical pain. We can deal with physical pain, but the emotional pain is something else. I wish her the best and I hope that this isn't the end."
Vonn reportedly cheered for Johnson from the helicopter as she was taken to the hospital.
Across her legendary career, Vonn has won every major title in the sport. She won three Olympic medals, including a gold medal in downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. She has the second-most World Cup wins (84) of any American woman in history, only trailing Mikaela Shiffrin.