American skier Lindsey Vonn shared an update following her third surgery for a broken left leg sustained in a crash during the women's downhill at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The 41-year-old described the procedure as successful and expressed optimism about her slow recovery. Vonn, who had already ruptured her ACL before the Games, was airlifted from the course in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
Lindsey Vonn, a 41-year-old alpine skiing veteran, crashed just 13 seconds into her run in the women's downhill event on February 8, 2026, at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The incident resulted in a complex tibia fracture in her left leg, requiring her to be airlifted by helicopter to Ca' Foncello Hospital in Treviso. Vonn had ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee nine days earlier during a training crash in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, yet she proceeded with her Olympic comeback after nearly six years of retirement.
Vonn returned to competition in December 2024, following surgery for a partial titanium replacement in her right knee. Entering the Olympics, she was the top speed racer of the season, having won two World Cup downhills and achieved podium finishes in seven of eight completed races, with one fourth-place result. Her participation was seen as a feel-good story, aiming to become the oldest Olympic alpine medalist.
On February 11, Vonn underwent her third surgery, which she described as successful in an Instagram post, including photos from her hospital bed showing a thumbs-up gesture and an external fixator on her leg. "I had my 3rd surgery today and it was successful. Success today has a completely different meaning than it did a few days ago," she wrote. "I'm making progress and while it is slow, I know I'll be ok."
She expressed gratitude to medical staff, family, and supporters worldwide, noting her father's presence at the hospital. Vonn also congratulated Team USA athletes, including gold medalist Breezy Johnson, who won the downhill event after Vonn's crash. Johnson dedicated her victory to her father and mentioned receiving a congratulatory text from Vonn despite her injury.
Andrea Panzeri, chief physician for the Italian Winter Sports Federation, explained that external fixation is common for stabilizing such fractures until further surgeries. Vonn indicated multiple procedures would be needed and reflected on the risks of downhill skiing, stating, "In Downhill ski racing the difference between a strategic line and a catastrophic injury can be as small as five inches." She emphasized having no regrets about competing.
