Lindsey Vonn Crash at Olympics: Possible End to Skiing Career

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn’s pursuit of a second Olympic downhill gold medal is over, ending in a devastating crash on the Olympia Delle Tofane course on Sunday. The 41-year-old American received medical attention on the snow for several anguished minutes before being airlifted off the mountain, potentially bringing an end to her storied career.

Vonn lost control shortly after the start, clipping the line too tightly and being spun around in the air. Screams could be heard from Vonn immediately following the crash as medical personnel rushed to her side. She was then placed on a stretcher and transported by helicopter from the mountain.

The U.S. Ski Team released a brief statement, saying Vonn would be evaluated by medical staff, but provided no immediate details regarding the extent of her injuries.

The crash occurred just 13 seconds into the race, after Vonn had successfully completed two training runs in the days leading up to the event. She had been considered a gold medal favorite, despite a recent knee injury sustained in Switzerland just nine days prior – a torn ACL, bone bruise, and meniscus damage.

Despite the setback, Vonn had been leading the World Cup downhill standings coming into the Olympics. Her return to elite ski racing last season, after nearly six years away, had already been described as remarkable, especially given the titanium knee replacement she underwent in her right knee.

The atmosphere at the bottom of the slope was somber. Breezy Johnson, Vonn’s teammate, posted the fastest time on the course but appeared visibly concerned. Johnson would ultimately win gold, becoming only the second American woman to win the Olympic downhill, following Vonn’s victory in Vancouver in 2010. Emma Aicher of Germany and Sofia Goggia of Italy rounded out the podium.

Vonn’s family was present, including her father, Alan Kildow, who stared down at the ground while his daughter was being treated. Even rapper Snoop Dogg, among the spectators, watched quietly as the rescue unfolded.

“It was scary, because when you start to see the stretcher pulled out it’s not a good sign,” Vonn’s sister Karin Kildow told NBC. “We were just saying like the man in the arena, she just dared greatly. She put it all out there. It’s really hard to see, we just hope she’s OK.”

Johan Eliasch, president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, acknowledged the tragic nature of the crash but emphasized Vonn’s impact on the sport. “This would be the best comeback I’ve done so far,” Vonn had said before the race. “Definitely the most dramatic.” Eliasch stated, “I can only say thank you for what she has done for our sport, because this race has been the talk of the games and it’s put our sport in the best possible light.”

Vonn has a long history of competing through injuries. In 2006, ahead of the Turin Olympics, she fell during downhill training and was hospitalized, yet still competed in all four events she had planned, achieving a seventh-place finish in the super-G. “It’s definitely weird,” she said at the time, “going from the hospital bed to the start gate.”

Cortina d’Ampezzo holds a special place in Vonn’s career, with a record 12 World Cup wins on the Olympia Delle Tofane course. She is often referred to as the “queen of Cortina.” She had tested her knee twice in downhill training runs over the past three days before Sunday’s crash.

Bella Wright, a member of the U.S. Ski Team, described the scene: “It looked like Lindsey had incredible speed out of that turn and she hooked her arm and it’s just over, just like that.” She added, “After all the preparation, after years of hard work and rehabilitation…it’s the last thing you want to see for Lindsey.”