American alpine skiing star Lindsey Vonn was forced to withdraw from the women’s downhill at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina on Sunday after suffering a serious crash early in her run.
The 41-year-old, competing despite a significant knee injury, fell shortly after leaving the start, sparking immediate concern among spectators and fellow competitors.
Television footage showed the 2010 Olympic champion — long dubbed the “queen of speed” — lying on the course following the fall before medical staff rushed to provide treatment. She was later airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital for further examination.
Vonn had been racing with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee, sustained just a week before the Games began. Despite the setback, she chose to compete, underscoring the determination that has defined her career.
The American great originally retired in 2019 but announced a comeback in November 2024 following knee surgery seven months earlier aimed at resolving chronic pain that had previously forced her into early retirement. Her return to competition was widely hailed as one of the sport’s most remarkable comebacks — making Sunday’s accident all the more poignant for fans around the world.
