American skiing legend Lindsey Vonn’s bid for Olympic glory at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina ended in dramatic fashion on Saturday morning during the women’s downhill at the Olympia delle Tofane course in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
The 41-year-old, competing in what she intended as her final Olympics after a remarkable comeback from retirement, crashed hard just seconds into her run — roughly 14 seconds after starting 13th in the field.
Vonn, who had ruptured her left ACL in a training crash nine days earlier at a World Cup event in Crans-Montana, Switzerland (where she was also airlifted), pushed forward with a large knee brace.
In the Olympic race, she lost control, spun awkwardly over a jump, and twisted violently, remaining prone on the snow while audibly screaming in pain. Medical teams responded immediately, halting the event.
After over 10-20 minutes of on-course treatment, including placement on a backboard and stretcher, she was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital for further evaluation.
“It was scary, because when you start to see the stretcher pulled out it’s not a good sign,” Vonn’s sister Karin Kildow told NBC. “We were just saying like the man in the arena, she just dared greatly. She put it all out there. It’s really hard to see, we just hope she’s OK.”
Vonn’s resilience had inspired many; she completed a successful training run on the same slope just days after a fresh ACL tear, vowing that her “Olympic dream is not over” after the earlier incident.
This latest crash marks a heartbreaking conclusion to her storied career, which includes three Olympic medals and dominance on the downhill circuit.
The race resumed after the delay, with U.S. teammate Breezy Johnson among the leaders.
