Lindsey Vonn Sidelined by Crash in Final Downhill Before Olympics
In a shocking turn of events, four-time World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn was forced to abandon her downhill skiing career for the moment after suffering an injury in Friday's downhill race before the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
The 41-year-old American skier lost control while attempting a jump on the upper section of the course and crashed into the safety netting, prompting medical staff to rush to her side. Despite sustaining significant pain, Vonn managed to ski away gingerly, repeatedly taking weight off her left knee and stopping several times to check on her condition.
Organizers eventually abandoned the race due to worsening conditions, with several other skiers also falling in the treacherous snow-covered terrain. Austria's Nina Ortlieb and Norway's Marte Monsen were among those who suffered injuries, including Monsen's facial injuries which required medical attention.
Vonn's coach Aksel Lund Svindal confirmed that she was taken to a nearby medical tent for further evaluation but ultimately airlifted from the finish area by helicopter, suspended by a rope as she was transported away across the Swiss Alps.
While Vonn downplayed fears that her Olympic bid was over on social media, sources close to the team expressed concern about her injury. This latest setback comes just one week before the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina Games, where Vonn is scheduled to compete in the women's downhill, super-G, and new team combined event.
Despite a storied career marked by serious injuries, including a high-speed crash at the 2013 world championships that left her with ligament damage, Vonn remains one of the most decorated skiers in history. She won Olympic downhill gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games and is among the most successful female World Cup racers of all time.
With training runs scheduled for the Olympic downhill set to begin next week, Vonn's injury has cast a shadow over her preparations for the Games. However, she remains optimistic, stating that "it's not over until it's over." The outcome of this latest setback will undoubtedly be closely watched by fans and fellow competitors alike as the world waits with bated breath to see if Vonn will make a dramatic comeback in Cortina.
In a shocking turn of events, four-time World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn was forced to abandon her downhill skiing career for the moment after suffering an injury in Friday's downhill race before the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
The 41-year-old American skier lost control while attempting a jump on the upper section of the course and crashed into the safety netting, prompting medical staff to rush to her side. Despite sustaining significant pain, Vonn managed to ski away gingerly, repeatedly taking weight off her left knee and stopping several times to check on her condition.
Organizers eventually abandoned the race due to worsening conditions, with several other skiers also falling in the treacherous snow-covered terrain. Austria's Nina Ortlieb and Norway's Marte Monsen were among those who suffered injuries, including Monsen's facial injuries which required medical attention.
Vonn's coach Aksel Lund Svindal confirmed that she was taken to a nearby medical tent for further evaluation but ultimately airlifted from the finish area by helicopter, suspended by a rope as she was transported away across the Swiss Alps.
While Vonn downplayed fears that her Olympic bid was over on social media, sources close to the team expressed concern about her injury. This latest setback comes just one week before the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina Games, where Vonn is scheduled to compete in the women's downhill, super-G, and new team combined event.
Despite a storied career marked by serious injuries, including a high-speed crash at the 2013 world championships that left her with ligament damage, Vonn remains one of the most decorated skiers in history. She won Olympic downhill gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games and is among the most successful female World Cup racers of all time.
With training runs scheduled for the Olympic downhill set to begin next week, Vonn's injury has cast a shadow over her preparations for the Games. However, she remains optimistic, stating that "it's not over until it's over." The outcome of this latest setback will undoubtedly be closely watched by fans and fellow competitors alike as the world waits with bated breath to see if Vonn will make a dramatic comeback in Cortina.
omg can't believe lindsey vonn got hurt like that 
i feel so bad for her, she's always been so inspiring & brave in her career 
but seriously, it's not good news for the olympics now 
her injuries have been a part of her story, so hopefully this setback won't be too serious and she'll be back on the slopes soon 
what's going on with lindsey vonn?? she's such an icon in the sport, you feel for her 
4x world cup champ and olympic gold medallist, she needs to be racing not dealing with setbacks 
its like 50/50 and thats SO stressful for everyone involved 
i think shes gonna be okay tho 
lets hope she makes a full recovery ASAP so we can see her in action again! 
. The fact that she's still optimistic about making a comeback is inspiring, but I'm holding out on celebrating just yet 
. She needs some solid time off to recover and get her knee right 
. I hope this setback doesn't ruin her Olympic dreams... 
she's been through so much already... all those injuries and still she's going strong 
. The Olympics are just around the corner, can't imagine competing without her 
- that's some serious confidence right there! 
Maybe this is just a minor setback and Vonn will be back to her A-game in no time 
And what's with the rope thing? Like, they just suspended her by a rope in mid-air 
. Seriously though, I'm worried about her injury - downhill skiing is no joke, and I've seen some crazy stuff on the slopes before. The fact that she was able to get up from that crash without losing a limb or anything is already a miracle 
. But what's even crazier is how she just brushed it off like it wasn't a big deal 
. That kind of toughness and competitiveness is part of why she's such an inspiration, but at the same time, you can't help but feel for her right now... poor girl needs some TLC 
.