Vonn announces she will play despite torn anterior cruciate ligament
Olympian Lindsey Vonn will compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics on Sunday, February 8, after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament and bone bruises during a downhill injury on January 30.
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CORTINA, Italy — Lindsey Vonn has never done anything by halves.
That hasn’t changed even now.
Vonn said Tuesday that she plans to compete in skiing at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics despite a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn meniscus in her left knee. It’s not the scenario she imagined or hoped for, nor is it the season in which she redefined what is possible by living boldly.
But if the choice is to wallow or stand up again, it’s not really a choice.
“No matter how many times I crash, I always get back up. No matter how many times I fail, I always win,” Vonn said.
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“I won’t miss this. I’ll do it, end of story,” she added. “So I’m not going to let myself go down that road. I’m not crying. I’m standing tall with my head high. I’m going to do my best. Whatever the outcome is, that’s what it is.”
“But never say I didn’t try.”
Bon’s belief in herself has always been her greatest strength. She recovered from an injury that would have been the end for most others. Multiple times. She listened to the naysayers and kept going anyway. Multiple times.
And time and time again, her faith in herself has been rewarded. So who would tell her anything different now?
“I’m still here. I think I can still compete. I think I can still try. And I’m going to try as long as I’m capable,” Vonn said.
Vonn knows his chances in Milan-Cortina were not what they were even a week ago. She has dominated the downhill races this season, winning two races and finishing on the podium in three other races, making her the favorite to win her second Olympic gold medal.
She now has to run down a snow-covered mountain at more than 110km/h with a broken knee.
But this latest comeback this season was always about more than just her grades. It will put an end to her career she And it shows people that your only limitations are within your own mind.
Vonn was forced to retire in 2019 due to the physical strain caused by numerous injuries sustained during her illustrious career. When she underwent partial right knee replacement surgery in April 2024, it was so she could live a pain-free life.
But as I recovered, I felt better than I had in years and wondered if I would ever be able to race again. She returned to the World Cup circuit in December 2024, and after a disappointing season last year, she finished the year with a silver medal in the super-G at the World Cup finals in Sun Valley, Idaho.
But Vonn, who has spent the entire offseason training and fine-tuning his equipment, has been nothing short of amazing. She silenced all her critics who said she couldn’t do it at 41 years old and with a partial knee replacement. She has been an inspiration to people who wanted to take a chance but weren’t sure if they should. Or maybe it is. She can write a different ending to her career and decide the terms herself.
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Lindsey Vonn talks about her career and returning to the Olympics
USA TODAY’s Nancy Armor interviews Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn to talk about her return to Milan-Cortina and her career.
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Once again, she proved herself to be unique. And she’s not going to let her battered knees change that.
Because for Von, the pain of regret is far worse than any physical pain.
“I’m not going to go home regretting not having tried,” she said emphatically. “I will do my best to get to that starting gate.”
Betting on Lindsey Vonn was always a foolish bet. This time is no exception.
