Lindsey Vonn crashes in Winter Olympic downhill, taken by helicopter – National
Lindsey Vonn’s defiant bid to win the Winter Olympics in downhill at the age of 41, on a reconstructed right knee and a badly damaged left knee, ended Sunday in a freak accident that sent her to safety by helicopter for the second time in nine days.
Vonn lost control shortly after exiting the first gate, clipped the gate with her right shoulder and went downhill before landing on her back, her skates falling below her and her screams soon after the arrival of medical personnel. He was treated for long, painful minutes as silence fell over the crowd waiting below the line.
He was strapped to a gurney and then flew, possibly ending the athlete’s illustrious career. His condition is not known yet, the US Ski Team said he will be tested.
“He’ll be fine, but it’s going to be a little bit of a process,” said Anouk Patty, chief sports officer at US Ski and Snowboard. “This sport is cruel and people must remember when they watch (that) these athletes throw themselves on the mountain and they are really fast.”
Breezy Johnson, Vonn’s teammate, became the second American woman to win the Olympic downhill after Vonn did it 16 years ago. The 30-year-old Johnson held off Germany’s Emma Aicher and Italy’s Sofia Goggia on a bitter day in the group.
Get the latest country news
For news that affects Canada and the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you as they happen.
“I’m not saying I know what you’re going through, but I know what it’s like to be here, to fight for the Olympics, and for this course to burn you and watch those dreams die,” said Johnson, whose injury at Cortina in 2022 destroyed hopes of skating at the Beijing Olympics. “I don’t see the pain he’s going through and it’s not physical pain—we can go through physical pain—but emotional pain is something else.”
Vonn had family in the stands, including her father, Alan Kildow, who looked on as his daughter recovered after 13 seconds on the course where she held a record 12 World Cup titles. Others in the crowd, including rapper Snoop Dogg, watched in silence as the skater finally left the field. American star Mikaela Shiffrin posted a broken heart emoji on social media.
Vonn’s accident was “sad, but it’s a ski race,” said Johan Eliasch, president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation.
“I would like to thank him for doing it for our game,” he said, “because this race was a story on the road and put our game in the best place.”
All eyes have been on Vonn, the feel-good story heading into the Olympics. He returned to high-level ski racing last season after nearly six years, a remarkable decision given his age but also underwent a titanium knee replacement in his right knee. Many wondered how she would fare as she sought a gold medal to match the one she won in downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
This four-time World Cup champion has surprised everyone by becoming a contender so soon. He arrived at the Olympics as the downhill leader at the World Cup and was a gold medal favorite before his crash in Switzerland nine days ago, in which he injured his knee. In addition to a torn ACL, he also had bone and meniscus injuries.
Even so, no one had left him even then. In fact, he has chosen to skate because of injuries for three decades at the top of the sport. In 2006, before the Turin Olympics, Vonn fell badly during downhill training and went to the hospital. He competed less than 48 hours later, running in all four events he had scheduled, with a top result of seventh in the super-G.
Cortina had many important memories of Vonn beyond the record win. She is called the queen of Cortina, and Olympia delle Tofana is a course that has always suited Vonn. He tested the knee twice in low training three days ago before Sunday’s fatal crash in clear, sunny conditions.
“This might be the best comeback I’ve done so far,” Vonn said before the race. “Surely the most amazing.”
News of the crash spread quickly, including to the fan base down the hill in Cortina.
“It’s a big and bad loss,” said American Megan Gunyou. “I feel like hearing his story and like the rescue of his first fall and the will to fight to get back to the Olympics this year, I mean, I’m really sad for him.”
© 2026 The Canadian Press
