Decorated downhill skier Lindsey Vonn, 41, crashed 13 seconds into her race at the 2026 Olympics on Sunday, Feb. 8, NBC News reported. She was quickly airlifted by helicopter off the slopes and taken to a nearby hospital.
Live coverage from reporter Sean Nevin of NBC News stated that Vonn was in extreme distress, noting that she received “lengthy medical attention” before she was airlifted, adding, “Vonn could be heard screaming in pain after the fall.”
Olympic Crowd Cheers for Lindsey Vonn
Vonn crashed before she reached the first marker on the 1.6-mile-long course. She was the 13th woman to hit the slopes to compete in the downhill in Tofane, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
As she was assessed on the slopes following her crash, Vonn’s Olympic teammate Breezy Johnson covered her face from the sidelines, NBC News reported. Meanwhile, the crowd began to cheer in hopes of Vonn getting back on her feet. After a 30-minute delay, the race began yet again.
Vonn’s departure left a grim mark on the mountainside, as she decided to compete with a ruptured ACL in her Olympic comeback after having suffered the injury just one week prior on Jan. 30 while racing during a World Cup downhill in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, the NYP reported. There too, she was airlifted off of the slopes and taken to the hospital.
Lindsey Vonn Says 2026 Olympics Will be Her Last Time Competing for Team USA
Vonn, determined to compete in the 2026 Olympics, persevered through the pain and executed a successful practice run before her race on Sunday, ESPN reported.
She explained in an Instagram post the day before taking to the slopes that this would be her last time competing for Team USA in the Olympics. Despite the odds stacked against her physicality, she detailed the deep belief she had in herself for the race.
“One last Olympic downhill run.. Just getting to these Olympics has been a journey, and one that some did not believe in from the start,” she wrote. “I retired for 6 years, and because of a partial knee replacement, I had the chance to compete one more time. But why? Everyone seems to be asking me that question. But I think the answer is simple… I just love ski racing.”
Vonn continued, “I will stand in the starting gate tomorrow and know I am strong. Know that I believe in myself. Know that the odds are stacked against me with my age, no ACL, and a titanium knee – but know that I still believe. And usually, when the odds are stacked against me the most, I pull the best of what’s inside me out.”
“I will race tomorrow in my final Olympic Downhill and while I can’t guarantee a good result, I can guarantee I will give it everything I have,” she added. “But no matter what happens, I have already won.”
