Lindsey Vonn arrived at the Cortina slopes with one functional leg and left on a stretcher, airlifted high above the Dolomites by rescue helicopter. Her bid for an Olympic downhill medal crumbled seconds into the run, leaving both her dream and her injured knee in ruins.
The 41-year-old American skier wept in the snow and screamed in agony after her aggressive descent went awry. Just 13 seconds in, wearing bib number 13 as the 13th starter, Vonn’s right shoulder struck the third gate. This spun her body 180 degrees, leading to a backward landing that hammered her already damaged left knee—the one ruptured nine days earlier on January 30.
Details of the Horror Crash
Medics rushed to Vonn’s side as her cries of ‘Oh my God’ echoed across the mountain and into homes worldwide. For the next 10 minutes, they stabilized her before a helicopter hoisted her stretcher skyward. She was transported to a hospital in Innsbruck, Austria.
Despite skepticism, Vonn posted impressive practice times: 11th quickest on Friday and third on Saturday over the demanding 2,572-meter course with a 760-meter vertical drop. Her strong showing fueled hopes of a second Olympic gold, 16 years after her first.
Expert Reactions
Two-time Olympic champion Tina Maze captured the mood, stating on TNT: “We all know the difficulties Lindsey was going through in the last days, and I think in the end she risked too much and that’s this kind of crash can happen. Of course if you are not healthy the consequences are even worse, but Lindsey wanted to do this no matter what. It’s really tough for everyone here to see this, especially for her family and team-mates and everyone working with her. It’s just terrible. A tough day.”
BBC pundit and former alpine skier Chemmy Alcott shared her distress: “I feel guilty that I am this emotional. I just never believed it would end in a clump at the side of the piste, not moving. What we saw that the top of the piste is really hard for a fit athlete—she just had her right knee. It is brutal, think about her family, her team and herself.”
Background and Decision to Race
Vonn competed despite tearing her ACL less than two weeks before the Olympics. She traveled with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Martin Roche, who had previously replaced her right knee with titanium. Her team supported the high-risk gamble, but many in the sport warned of potential disaster.
Before her run, Vonn massaged snow into her neck while watching U.S. teammate Breezy Johnson set the pace at 1:36.10. Vonn stomped her skis and attacked the course aggressively, staying tight to the lines—too tight for that fateful gate.
Race Outcome
Johnson claimed gold, followed by Germany’s Emma Aicher and Italy’s Sofia Goggia. Johnson, who has overcome her own knee injuries and a 14-month doping suspension ending in 2024, celebrated as Vonn’s powder cloud settled.
