Defying the Odds in Cortina
Just one week after tearing the ACL in her left knee, Lindsey Vonn was back on the iconic downhill slope in Cortina d’Ampezzo — not to race yet, but to inspect the course ahead of her first official training run. At 41 years old, the American legend is still chasing the dream of competing at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, refusing to let injury dictate the final chapter of her career.
Racing Through Pain and Uncertainty
Vonn will compete wearing a heavy brace on her injured knee, staying true to the promise she has lived by throughout her career: to race, even when facing injuries that would end most athletes’ journeys. Since being involved in an accident in Switzerland, she has not wavered. Pain, doubt, and risk have become familiar companions — but so has resilience.
“Let’s Go Get It!”
When the snowfall finally eased and the sunshine broke through the clouds, Vonn shared her emotions online, celebrating the simple but powerful fact that she was standing at the start gate. Grateful, smiling, and visibly determined, she made it clear she has no intention of wasting this moment.
One More Shot at History
With one training days remaining before Sunday’s downhill, Vonn — a 12-time World Cup winner in Cortina — is set to begin Friday’s race wearing bib number 10. The two-time Olympic champion is now crafting one of the most extraordinary comeback stories in Olympic sports history, proving once again that legends aren’t defined by how often they fall, but by how fiercely they rise.
