Cortina d'Ampezzo (Italy) (AFP) - American skier Lindsay Vonn's Olympic comeback attempt ended abruptly this Sunday in Cortina d'Ampezzo, after a fall suffered just seconds after starting the descent, which forced her evacuation by helicopter. The Olympic champion, who was competing with a serious knee injury, was treated for several minutes in the snow before being taken to a hospital.
First modification: 02/08/2026 - 12:31 Last modification: 02/08/2026 - 13:20
The Olympic dream of the legendary American skier Lindsay Vonn barely lasted a handful of seconds, those that elapsed between the start of the descent and the serious fall she suffered and for which she had to be evacuated by helicopter.
True to the steel mentality that has characterized her entire career, Vonn started despite having torn her anterior cruciate ligament and damaged her meniscus less than ten days ago in Crans Montana (Switzerland).
The "Speed Queen", Olympic downhill champion in 2010 and who came out of retirement just over a year ago to return to compete in the Games, fell at the beginning of her descent in Cortina d'Ampezzo, lying in the snow before being treated by the medical team, between tears and screams of pain, according to television images.
Only 13 seconds
Starting with number 13 and with a splint to protect her right knee, Vonn had barely been down for 13 seconds when she caught on one of the doors and, already unbalanced, fell when landing with a jump on a right curve.
After more than 10 minutes in the snow, Vonn was taken by helicopter to a hospital, while the public gathered at the finish line said goodbye to her with a standing ovation. Even her compatriot, Breezy Johnson, who was leading the race at that time, put her hands on her face while sitting in the chair reserved for the first classified.
The descent test resumed after more than a quarter of an hour of interruption.
At 41 years and 113 days old, the American star was trying a crazy bet: to become Olympic downhill champion again, 16 years after her title in Vancouver, and after making a spectacular comeback last winter, after six years retired and a titanium prosthesis in her right knee.
Evacuated by helicopter
Vonn had finished on the podium in every previous World Cup downhill race this season, including two wins in St Moritz and Zauchensee, and took two more podiums in the super-G.
But the challenge became even more risky after a new and serious injury suffered in the descent of Crans Montana, in Switzerland, one week before the Games.
Despite having a badly damaged left knee, with a total tear of the anterior cruciate ligament, he had confirmed his participation in his fifth Games and had carried out promising official training sessions, in particular the one on Saturday, which he finished in third position.
"Just because it seems impossible doesn't mean it's not possible," she said convincingly last Tuesday at a massive press conference in Cortina d'Ampezzo.
After what happened this Sunday, it was inevitable to wonder how reckless his bet was.
Johan Eliasch, the observer president of the International Ski Federation (FIS), said Vonn's fall was "tragic" but "that's competitive skiing."
"And I can only say thank you for what he has done for our sport, because this race has been the talk of the Games and has put our sport in the spotlight," he said.
Eliasch added: "I hope he makes a quick recovery and gets back to skiing very, very soon. A lot of people are going to say he shouldn't have competed today with that kind of injury. Obviously, it's his decision."
Barring another unexpected twist in the script, Vonn seems to have put an end to her career, with one of the images that will forever be etched in the history of the Olympic Games.
For the legend, however, his impressive record remains: three Olympic medals (one gold), four Golden Globes as world No. 1, 84 World Cup victories.
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