Lindsey Vonn plans Olympic comeback despite ACL injury
Three-time Olympic medalist Lindsey Vonn discusses her plan to compete at the Winter Olympics despite tearing her ACL. Sports medicine expert Dr. Rick Lehman assesses her chances and the risks involved, noting her mental toughness.
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Olympic gold medalist and American alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn continued to defy the odds Friday when she completed her first women’s downhill training run just a week after tearing her ACL in a World Cup race.
Vonn, wearing a No. 10 bib and a brace on her left knee, successfully completed her run on a day when fog delayed skiers waiting for their turn at the famed Tofane Alpine Ski Center in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
She didn’t seem to have any limitations during the training run, although she occasionally went off course and almost missed some gates. Vonn powered down the 1.6-mile course in 1:40.33 and crossed the all-important finish line.
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Lindsey Vonn of the United States in women’s alpine training during the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Center on February 6, 2026 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Eric Bolte/Imagn Images)
The 41-year-old skier, who has a record 12 World Cup wins in Cortina, including six in the downhill, looked aggressive in his first practice.
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An ACL tear typically sidelines an athlete for about a year, but Vonn remains determined to deal with the injury and compete. Describing the severity Friday, she wrote on X that the critical knee ligament was “100% gone.”
Lindsey Vonn of the United States in women’s alpine training during the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Center on February 6, 2026 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Michael Madrid/Imagn Images)
“My ACL was fully functional up until Friday. Just because it seems impossible to you doesn’t mean it’s not possible. And yes, my ACL is 100% torn. Not 80% or 50%. It’s 100% gone,” Vonn wrote.
Vonn revealed the injury a day after posting a video of herself squatting with a barbell at the gym. She underwent a partial right knee replacement in 2024, highlighting a long history of knee problems.
Lindsey Vonn of the United States in the finish area during the women’s downhill training at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Center on February 6, 2026 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Leonhard Foeger/Reuters via Imagn Images)
Vonn celebrated with Team USA teammate Breezy Johnson after Friday’s practice run, but declined interviews. Asked if she was “all good?” she simply replied, “Yes.”
The women’s alpine downhill race begins on Sunday with Vonn expected to be at the starting gate.
“I know what my chances were before the crash, and I know my chances are not the same as they are today, but I know there’s still a chance. And as long as there’s a chance, I’ll try,” she told reporters on Tuesday at the Cortina Curling Stadium.
