Lindsey Vonn is gearing up to surprise everyone once more, even at an age when most athletes have already hung up their boots. The alpine skiing legend, who wrapped up her incredible career in 2019 after facing a tough fight with injuries, is now getting ready for an amazing comeback at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

This journey back to the biggest stage in sports is fueled by something really personal, something that goes beyond just chasing medals or fame. According to Olympics.com, Vonn has shared what drives her remarkable comeback: the lasting spirit and memory of her late mother, Linda Krohn.

She recalled, “It was one of the few times that both my parents were at my race. Unfortunately, my mom won’t be there. I just do my thing, and I’m very authentically me. This is authentically how I approach everything.” This statement presents her whole comeback as a genuine tribute, a commitment to compete as the person her mother brought her up to be.

Lindsey Vonn elaborated on the specific traits she inherited, stating, “I’m a little bit crazy, I’m a downhill ski racer. I’ve been injured many times, but I’ve always picked myself back up and kept trying. I learned that from my mother—always try. Even if I fail, I give it my very best.” This lesson in never giving up, picked up not from a coach but from watching a parent, really forms the foundation of her strength.

“I’m really thankful to have the family that I do have supporting me, and hopefully I can close this amazing chapter of my life on a high note,” she shared. Well, her journey back hasn’t exactly been easy or without its fair share of uncertainty.

After her partial knee replacement in 2024, Vonn honestly said she never thought she’d be racing again. When she decided to come back, not everyone in the skiing community was on board. Some big names, like Michaela Dorfmeister, Franz Klammer, and Pirmin Zurbriggen, raised their eyebrows and wondered about her reasons and mindset.

Vonn has really stood her ground against these critiques, presenting her return as a genuine expression of her love for ski racing and a personal challenge she wants to take on. “I need to see a psychologist for what? What about this is so crazy? I don’t need this. I’m doing it because I love it. It’s fun and it’s a challenge. It’s not like I lack fulfillment or purpose,”  she said. Instead of holding her back, the criticism actually pushed her to work even harder.

Lindsey Vonn shut down critics with her results

On March 23 this year, Lindsey Vonn made a remarkable comeback by finishing in second place at the World Cup Super-G finals held in Sun Valley, Idaho. This was her first time on the World Cup podium since coming back from a five-year break, and it’s also her first top-three finish since 2018.

She finished with a time of 1:13.64, which put her 1.29 seconds behind the winner, Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami, but importantly, she was ahead of Italian star Federica Brignone. At 40, Vonn set a new record as the oldest female Alpine skier to ever stand on a World Cup podium, beating the previous record by six years.

After reaching this milestone, she shared a straightforward message for all the critics who had their doubts about her. Vonn shared a post from writer Clark C. Michell on her social media story that said, “It’s time for you to stop letting people who never did it tell you why it can’t be done.” A straightforward but impactful message. Honestly, she doesn’t really have to say anything because the results definitely speak for themselves.

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