MILAN — After adevastating crash just 13 seconds into her downhill run, Lindsey Vonn "sustained an injury" but is in stable condition, according to U.S. Ski & Snowboard.
Sunday's women's downhill emerged as the most anticipated event in these Olympics, mainly because of Vonn — first for her comeback from her 2019 retirement, thenfrom the torn ACL she suffered a little over a week ago. But her Olympic dreams vanished almost immediately into her run on Sunday morning. Her pole and shoulder caught a gate near the top of the mountain, spinning her sideways and sending her tumbling off the course. Her skis dug into the snow, twisting both knees and leaving her prone and bent on the hillside. According to the Associated Press, Vonn's mandatory air bag worn under her race suit did inflate. A helicopter arrived within 10 minutes to evacuate her from the course, and after about 20 minutes, the event continued.
Vonn was airlifted to Ca' Foncello Hospital in Treviso. "In the afternoon, she underwent orthopedic surgery to stabilize the fracture sustained in her left leg," the hospital said in a statement. She was initially taken to Cortina's Codivilla Putti Hospital for immediate treatment, and later moved to Treviso.
Vonn's teammateBreezy Johnson won gold, but the mood in Cortina in the wake of Vonn's crash was somber.
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Vonn, 41, came into the Olympics as one of Team USA's biggest stars, thanks both to her longevity and her determination. She retired after the 2018 Olympics, betrayed by her body and unable to compete at a world-class level. But a 2024 partial knee replacement changed her entire future, allowing her to return to the slopes and work herself into Olympic shape.
She earned her way onto the U.S. team with an array of podium finishes and two World Cup victories. But just a week before the start of the Winter Olympics, Vonn ruptured her left ACL in Switzerland. She spoke at a press conference on Tuesday affirming her intention to compete, and posted respectable times in her two training runs.
The horrifying crashelicited reactions from peers and fans alike.
"It doesn't change anything about her legacy," said fellow American Jackie Wiles, who finished fourth. "She's a fighter, and that's the way that she's going to go out and ski every time."
