Lindsey Vonn plans Olympics comeback despite ACL injury
Three-time Olympic medalist Lindsey Vonn discusses her plan to compete in the Winter Olympics despite rupturing her ACL. Sports medicine expert Dr. Rick Lehman assesses her chances and the risks involved, noting her mental toughness.
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Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn was back to training just days after she “completely ruptured” her ACL in a crash, a setback that came only a week before the U.S. ski star was due to make her Winter Games return at Milan Cortina.
In a video posted to her social media on Thursday, Vonn performed a series of workouts including squats, box jumps and side lunges. She was wearing a knee brace on her left leg as a result of the numerous injuries she sustained after crashing during a World Cup race in Switzerland on Saturday.
Lindsey Vonn holds her left knee after crashing during the women’s World Cup downhill race in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on Jan. 30, 2026. (Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP)
“I’m not giving up,” she wrote in the caption of an Instagram post. “Working as hard as I can to make it happen!”
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“Thank you to my team and everyone for your incredible support,” she continued. “Keep believing.”
Vonn revealed the extent of her injuries on Tuesday, but said she will continue with her goal of competing in her first event on Sunday, the women’s downhill.
“I completely ruptured my ACL. I also have bone bruising, which is a common injury when you tear your ACL, plus meniscal damage, which we’re not sure if that was preexisting or from the crash,” she told reporters during a news conference.
“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, my knee feels 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.”
Lindsey Vonn attends a press conference with the ski team at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The event took place in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
LINDSEY VONN TO COMPETE IN WINTER OLYMPICS DAYS AFTER SUFFERING ‘COMPLETELY RUPTURED’ ACL IN WORLD CUP CRASH
Vonn’s head coach, Chris Knight, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he is “pretty confident” that Vonn will be able to pull this off. She will need to take part in at least one training run in order to compete in Sunday’s competition.
“I’ve got no doubts in my mind that this is going to be OK,” Knight added. “She’s been doing box jumps, she’s trying everything out, loads and stresses and things like that to just see where she’s at and see how she feels and she’s pulled up great from everything.”
Vonn, 41, made a stunning comeback to the sport last year after nearly six years away from competition. Her return followed a partial titanium replacement inserted into her right knee, which she had done in 2024.
Lindsey Vonn competes during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup women’s downhill at the Prampero Slope on Monte Lussari. The event took place in Tarvisio, Italy, on Jan. 17, 2026. (Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)
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“In downhill, it’s a very dangerous sport and anything can happen. And because I push the limits, I crash,” Vonn said Tuesday. “I’ve been injured more times than I would like to admit to myself even, but those are the cards I’ve been dealt in my life. And I’m going to play my cards the best that I can.”
Vonn is scheduled for her first Olympic event in the women’s downhill on Sunday. She is also slated to compete in the super-G and the new team combined event.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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