Lindsey Vonn Reflects on Olympic Journey After Sustaining Serious Injury

In a poignant message following a serious accident during the Winter Olympics, American skier Lindsey Vonn has stated she harbors “no regrets” despite suffering a “complex tibia fracture”. This injury requires several surgical procedures and occurred during the women’s downhill event in Cortina.

The 41-year-old athlete found herself in a perilous situation just 13 seconds into her run on Sunday when her arm became entangled in a gate, disrupting her balance. She received extensive medical attention on the slopes before being airlifted to Ca Foncello hospital in Treviso, where she underwent surgery for a fractured left leg.

Vonn, who clinched the Olympic downhill title in 2010, had already been competing with torn ligaments in her left knee, yet she was resolute in her desire to participate in her fifth and final Olympic Games. In an emotional post shared on Instagram, she expressed, “Yesterday my Olympic dream did not conclude as I had envisioned.”

“It wasn’t a storybook ending or a fairy tale; it was simply life. I dared to dream and worked tirelessly to make it a reality.”

Despite the disappointing turn of events and the severe physical pain she experienced, Vonn emphasized that she felt no regret about her decision to race. She recounted the exhilarating sensation of standing at the starting gate, confident that she had a shot at victory, which she regarded as a triumph in itself.

Just nine days prior to the Olympic competition in Italy, Vonn had suffered a crash in Switzerland during her last race before the Games. At a press conference on Wednesday, she disclosed the full extent of her injuries, including a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), yet remained steadfast in her commitment to compete.

Vonn, a two-time world champion, clarified that her ACL tear and other past injuries, such as a partial replacement of her right knee, were unrelated to her recent fall. While her courageous choice to race sparked admiration, it also drew criticism regarding the inherent dangers of the sport and the risk of enduring long-term damage.

“Ski racing is an inherently dangerous pursuit, just as life involves taking risks,” she noted. “We dream, we love, we leap, and occasionally we stumble. Sometimes our aspirations may not materialize as we hoped, but that unpredictability is part of life’s beauty; we must strive to try.”

Vonn concluded her heartfelt message with a call to action, encouraging others to embrace their ambitions. “Life is too fleeting to shy away from taking risks on yourself. The only true failure is not attempting. I tried. I dreamt. I jumped.”

Winter Olympics 2026 Details

The next Winter Olympics will take place from February 6 to 22, 2026, in Milan-Cortina. Fans can catch two live streams and highlights through BBC iPlayer (UK only), along with updates on BBC Radio 5 Live and live text commentary and video highlights available on the BBC Sport website and app.

For comprehensive coverage, please refer to the full guide on Winter Sports and the Winter Olympics.