Lindsey Vonn’s long-awaited Olympic comeback suffered a terrifying setback after the American skiing legend was involved in a high-speed crash. The incident occurred during a downhill race in Switzerland, just one week before the start of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Vonn was competing in one of the World Cup downhill races when she lost control upon landing a jump. The race was held in difficult conditions, with poor visibility contributing to the incident, as Vonn became tangled in the safety nets on the upper section of the course.
Following the crash at nearly 100 mph, the 41-year-old was able to get back to her feet after receiving medical attention, though she was visibly focused on discomfort in her left knee. After reaching the finish area, she was seen limping into a medical tent for further evaluation before being airlifted from the venue by helicopter.
Shortly after, Vonn provided an update on her condition through Instagram, confirming that she injured her left knee and is undergoing further evaluation with her medical team. She wrote:
“I crashed today in the Downhill race in Switzerland and injured my left knee. I am discussing the situation with my doctors and team and will continue to undergo further exams. This is a very difficult outcome one week before the Olympics… but if there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s a comeback,” wrote Lindsey Vonn.
She added:
“My Olympic dream is not over. Thank you for all of the love and support. I will give more information when I have it. Thank you to all the medical staff who helped me today. I am grateful for all the incredible help I received. Sending my best to @marte.monsen who also had a major crash and injury today. 🙏🏻Love you guys. ❤️💪🏻”
While initial reports have not yet detailed the full extent of the injury, the mention of knee damage immediately raised alarms. Knee injuries have been a recurring challenge throughout Vonn’s illustrious career, including ACL tears that ultimately contributed to her initial retirement in 2019.
Lindsey Vonn revealed why the 2018 Winter Olympics were painful for her
Lindsey Vonn recently spoke to ESPN, where she discussed various arenas of her career, including her 2018 Winter Olympics experience. She was asked about behind the scenes during the 2018 Games, to which she replied that it was a hard time for her with things going on both in her personal and professional life; she wasn’t able to deliver her best performance.
Speaking about the passing away of her grandfather and her crash in Lake Louise, she said: (0:20 onwards)
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