Lindsey Vonn Crashes at Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Sustains Complex Tibia Fracture
Lindsey Vonn, the 41-year-old American alpine skier, crashed during her run in the women's downhill final at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Competing with a recently ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee, Vonn sustained a complex tibia fracture in the same leg during the incident. She was subsequently airlifted from the course and underwent surgery.
Pre-Race Context and Comeback
Vonn had retired from ski racing in 2019 due to a series of multiple injuries. She initiated a comeback in late 2024, following robotically-assisted partial knee replacement surgery on her right knee.
Prior to the Olympic downhill final, Vonn had achieved significant success in the current World Cup season, securing podium finishes in seven of eight races, including two victories. These achievements made her the oldest athlete to win on the circuit and placed her at the top of the World Cup downhill standings. Her career accomplishments include 84 World Cup victories, three Olympic medals (including a 2010 gold), and eight World Championship medals.
Nine days before the Olympic final, on January 30, Vonn ruptured the ACL in her left knee during a World Cup race in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. This incident involved losing control upon landing a jump and impacting safety nets, after which she was airlifted.
Despite the injury, which medical experts noted typically requires extensive recovery, Vonn chose to compete in the Olympics, delaying surgery. She expressed confidence in her ability to compete with a brace, stating her knee felt stable and was not swollen.
Vonn completed two successful training runs on the Tofane course in Cortina d'Ampezzo, reaching speeds of up to 119 km/h (78 mph). Her decision to compete was partly influenced by the Olympic events being held in Cortina, a location where she had achieved 12 of her career World Cup victories.
Orthopedic surgeons offered varied perspectives on competing with a torn ACL; some noted downhill skiing might present lower risks compared to sports with frequent pivoting, while others cautioned that a full, destabilizing tear carries an "extremely high" likelihood of further injury, as no brace adequately controls the knee under such conditions. Vonn herself stated her ACL was "100% ruptured" but denied that this injury contributed to her subsequent crash.
The Downhill Race and Crash
On Sunday, February 8, Vonn started as the 13th competitor in the women's downhill final on the Olympia delle Tofane course in Cortina d'Ampezzo. Approximately 12 to 14 seconds into her run, Vonn crashed. She later attributed the incident to being "5 inches too tight on my line," resulting in her right arm catching a race gate, which caused her to spin and land hard. Other accounts noted she clipped a gate in midair or that her legs gave way after hitting a bump.
Immediate Aftermath and Injury
Medical personnel attended to Vonn for over 10 minutes on the course. She was subsequently airlifted by helicopter from the mountain to Treviso’s Ca’ Foncello hospital. The race was paused for approximately 20 minutes following the incident.
Vonn's condition was confirmed as stable. She sustained a complex tibia fracture in her left leg, the same leg that had the ruptured ACL. She underwent orthopedic surgery to stabilize the fracture, reportedly involving an external fixation device placed in two stages. Vonn indicated that multiple additional surgeries would be required for proper healing and an extensive recovery period.
Competition Results and Reactions
In the same downhill final, Vonn's American teammate Breezy Johnson secured the gold medal with a time of 1 minute 36.10 seconds. Emma Aicher of Germany won the silver medal, and Sofia Goggia of Italy earned the bronze.
Vonn later stated she had no regrets about her decision to compete, considering standing at the starting gate with a chance to win a "victory in and of itself."
Her father, Alan Kildow, subsequently stated that Vonn, if he has influence, would no longer compete in ski races, citing her age and recent injury.
Teammate Breezy Johnson expressed empathy for Vonn, while Isabella Wright commented that Vonn "deserved a better ending." Johan Eliasch, President of the International Ski Federation (FIS), acknowledged Vonn's contributions to the sport and noted the inherent risks of ski racing. Vonn's participation in planned super-G and combined team events is now unlikely.