Lindsey Vonn suffered a broken leg in the crash that she suffered on Sunday.
Vonn crashed roughly 14 seconds into her downhill skiing run at the Olympia delle Tofane course in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, and required immediate medical attention on the slope. She eventually had to be airlifted to a hospital.
Vonn was lifted to Ca Foncello hospital in Trevizo, and the hospital said in a statement that the American skiier had suffered a broken left leg.
Via BBC Sport, the hospital said Vonn underwent “orthopedic surgery to stabilize the fracture she sustained in her left leg.” That is the same leg on which Vonn tore her ACL nine days ago.
Lindsey Vonn has fractured her left leg, the same leg she suffered her ruptured ACL. pic.twitter.com/IVkH3xfQ8O
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 8, 2026
Vonn was determined to compete despite the torn ACL, and it did not appear to be the cause of her crash. Photos showed that Vonn’s right ski pole clipped a gate while making a jump, causing her to be thrown off balance.
The AP's Jacquelyn Martin has the photo that shows the split-second before Lindsey Vonn's crash: her right ski pole clips the gate at the crest of the jump, which flung her off balance and induced the crash. pic.twitter.com/RKjQ4H4lKg
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) February 8, 2026
The women’s downhill was the first of three events Vonn had planned on participating in during the Olympics. Obviously, a broken leg will force her to withdraw from the super-G and team events.
