US star Lindsey Vonn vows to run at Milano-Cortina Olympics despite ‘torn’ ACL
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Lindsey Vonn is “confident” she will be able to compete at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics starting this week despite an injury to her left knee sustained in an accident four days ago.
Vonn said Tuesday that she “ended up tearing” her ACL, has a bone injury “and a meniscal injury.”
But after three days of physical therapy and consultations with doctors, Vonn skied Tuesday in a knee brace.
“It feels stable, it feels strong,” he said, adding that he was “confident” in the race.
“I will do my best to be in the starting gate.”
Vonn crashed on the downhill in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on Friday and ended up in the safety net. After skiing all the way to the end of the course, he was airlifted to the doctors.
Vonn, a 41-year-old American, was expected to be one of the biggest stars of the Winter Games, which begin on Friday with the opening ceremony. Her first race comes two days after the women’s race on Sunday. Then Vonn was planning to compete in the super-G and the new team put together the event.
The opening meeting for women’s downhill training is scheduled for Thursday.
Vonn made a dramatic comeback last season at the age of 40 after nearly six years away from competitive skiing. Skiing with a partial titanium implant in his right knee, he has been the leading downhiller this season with two wins and three finishes in five races.
Including super-G, Vonn has completed eight World Cup races and finished on the podium in seven of them. His worst finish was fourth.
Women’s figure skating during the Games will be held in Cortina, where Vonn holds the World Cup record with 12 wins.
Lindsey Vonn from the USA crashed into the net after the situation worsened and the race was canceled on Friday at the World Cup in Crans Montana, Switzerland.
Holding his left knee
Vonn won three Olympic medals: Gold in downhill and bronze in super-G in 2010 and bronze in downhill in 2018.
He stood up after receiving medical attention for about five minutes, apparently in pain and using crutches to brace himself. Vonn then skated to the finish line, stopping a few times on the way down and clutching her left knee.
“I crashed today in a downhill race in Switzerland and injured my left knee. I am discussing the situation with my doctors and the team and will continue with more tests,” Vonn wrote on her Instagram account. “Thank you for all the love and support. I will provide more information when I have it.”
This race, which was held under difficult conditions with poor visibility, was canceled after Vonn’s accident.
The American, who was expected to be one of the biggest stars of the Games, limped to a tent to receive medical attention before being airlifted away by helicopter, dangling from an ascending cable with two attendants.
Norwegian men’s skier Kilde is out of the Olympics
Norwegian skier Aleksander Aamodt Kilde will not compete in Milan Cortina as he tries to regain his reputation following a serious accident that happened two years ago.
“I did everything I could to get ready for the Olympics but my mind and body are not doing the way I need them to,” said Kilde from Bormio, Italy on Tuesday.
Kilde underwent surgery for severe cuts and nerve damage to his right calf and two lacerations to his torn shoulder after a crash at the finish line on the classic Lauberhorn downhill in Wengen, Switzerland, in January 2024.
He returned to the World Cup this season.
“It is very difficult to come to this decision after all the work I have done with my family, the medical team, the national team and many others. At the same time, I am proud that I was able to fight my way back and compete again in the World Cup,” said Kilde.
Kilde won a silver medal in the combined and a bronze medal in the super-G at the 2022 Beijing Games.
Norway’s Aleksander Aamodt Kilde crashed into a fence on Saturday during the World Cup downhill race in Wengen, Switzerland and had to be airlifted out.
