Lindsey Vonn’s fifth Olympics could be over before it begins. After all, her crash during the World Cup downhill in Crans‑Montana looked serious, especially for a skier who had already faced over 15 major injuries. Fans waited in suspense for an update, and when Vonn provided one, it seemed that not all hope is lost.

The bad news was that the 41-year-old did indeed rupture her ACL in her left knee, along with some bone bruising. While the severity of such an injury would immediately remove any other athlete out of contention, Vonn is not just any other athlete.

“We have been doing extensive therapy, been consulting with doctors, been in the gym, and today, I went skiing, and considering how my knee feels,” said Vonn during a media session in Cortina d’Ampezzo on Tuesday afternoon, just three days before the Games, “I feel stable, I feel strong, my knee is not swollen, and with the help of a knee brace, I am confident that I can compete on Sunday.”

Prior to Crans-Montana, Vonn had had an excellent comeback season that anyone had anticipated.  She came back to the World Cup circuit and dominated the downhill rankings, earned several podiums, and at least two victories. The shape saw her as one of the best medal prospects going into Milan-Cortina. Then one fall changed the picture and she knows it.

She added, “I know my chances were before the crash, and I know my chances aren’t the same as it stands today, but I know there is still a chance. And as long as there’s a chance, I will try.”

With an almost defiant mindset, she’s already looking ahead to the full Olympic schedule. Vonn still plans to compete in all her events: downhill, super-G, and the new team combined event.

“My intention is to ski everything. . I mean, I’ll finish the season if I can. But I don’t know, I can’t tell you that until I know I have the downhill training run and see how I feel,” she said. But even with her goals clear, the reality of skiing with a torn ACL is a huge challenge.

“I should be OK, but I can’t more into it until I get into some of the bigger turns and then we’ll see,” she continued. Surgery will likely come later but right now her focus is clear.

“The Olympics are the only thing I’m thinking about. Every day my knee has gotten better. If it’s not stable, I can’t compete. But so far, so good.” Her first test comes soon with the women’s downhill set on February 8. But being injured and still racing has been part of her journey for nearly two decades.

If pain could stop Lindsey Vonn, she’d have stopped long ago

For Lindsey Vonn, racing while injured isn’t new. Over a 19-year career at the highest level, she became the first American woman to win Olympic downhill gold, claimed seven world championship medals, four World Cup overall titles, and 84 individual World Cup victories. Throughout all this, pain has followed her!

In 2010, she suffered bruising in her right shin during pre-Olympic training in Austria during the 2010 Games in Vancouver. Even putting on a ski boot would have been agonizing. But she did compete and became the first American woman to get Olympic gold in downhill.

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She was also tested during her experience in the 2006 Torino Olympics. She had to spend the night in a hospital after crashing at 60 miles per hour in a downhill training run, and missed some of the training. She still managed to race in four events even though her pain was excruciating due to fluid trapped in her back, and she managed to finish as high as seventh.

The injuries kept coming again and again! Like torn ligaments, torn ACLs, major ACL and MCL tear in 2013 forced her to miss the 2014 Olympics. The wear and tear eventually forced her into retirement in 2019

Then came 2024. Five years later, Vonn came back with a partial knee replacement on her right knee. The surgery eased her pain and provided her with the freedom to resume training. More to the point, it provided her with one final reason to pursue something that she desired badly

That goal was simple. One more Olympics. One final chance. And doing it in Cortina d’Ampezzo, where her career has been closely connected, and where she has had some of the best moments. So now with another injury standing in her way, the question feels familiar… so does the answer! It is her last Olympics, and she is pursuing it the best way she can.