American skier Lindsey Vonn successfully finished her first Olympic training run on Friday, one week after rupturing her left ACL in a World Cup crash. The 41-year-old, wearing a knee brace, clocked 1:40.33 on the Olympia delle Tofane course in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, finishing 11th amid foggy conditions. Her performance keeps her on track for Sunday's women's downhill medal race.
Lindsey Vonn's return to the slopes marked a pivotal moment in her improbable bid for a medal at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. On February 6, 2026, the American alpine skiing star pushed out of the starting gate in bib number 10 for her mandatory training run on the demanding Olympia delle Tofane course at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. The session, delayed over 90 minutes by low cloud and fog after early crashes by competitors like Slovenia's Ilka Stuhec and Norway's Marte Monsen, tested Vonn's resolve.
Exactly one week earlier, on January 30, Vonn had crashed during a World Cup downhill in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, losing control on a landing and suffering a complete ACL rupture in her left knee, along with a bone bruise and meniscal damage. Airlifted to a hospital, she underwent extensive therapy and framed her participation as a day-to-day decision. 'Last Friday in Crans Montana in the last World Cup I completely ruptured my ACL,' Vonn said on Tuesday. 'I have to take it day by day. My goal is obviously right now the downhill. I have to see how it feels – if it’s stable and I feel confident, I’ll continue to race.'
During the delay, Vonn stayed loose with teammates, stretching, posting on social media, and joining an impromptu line dance led by the team's physical therapist. 'Nothing makes me happier. No one would have believed I would be here. But I made it. I’m here, I’m smiling and no matter what, I know how lucky I am,' she wrote beforehand. When her turn came, Vonn skied aggressively, reaching 75.2 mph and leading at final checkpoints, though she went wide midway and narrowly cleared a gate. She finished with fist pumps and a hug from teammate Breezy Johnson, who raced just before her.
Thursday's opening training had been canceled due to heavy snowfall, making Friday's run crucial—skiers must complete at least one to qualify for Sunday's race at 5:30 a.m. ET. Vonn's coach, Aksel Lund Svindal, praised her: 'She was smart. No big risk. And to me, it looked symmetrical... She’s tough.' Teammate Jacqueline Wiles set the fastest time at 1:38.94, with Vonn 1.39 seconds behind. Fellow U.S. skiers expressed confidence: 'If anyone can come back from this, it's Lindsey,' said Isabella Wright.
This comeback follows Vonn's 2019 retirement due to knee issues and her 2024 return, which included two World Cup downhill wins this season. Despite the injury, she remains optimistic: 'My fitness is 100%, but that doesn’t mean my body is 100%. As long as my swelling is down and my muscles are firing, my strength is what it was a few days ago.' Her story has captured global attention, highlighting resilience in the face of adversity at age 41.
