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Lindsey Vonn is receiving wholehearted support from her teammate Breezy Johnson as she competes in the 2026 Olympics, despite battling an ACL injury.
On Wednesday, February 4, Johnson, 30, expressed her encouragement through Threads, stating, “There will be six Americans participating in the Downhill training runs. If Lindsey is unable to compete or doesn’t feel she’s at her best, others are ready to step up.” She added, “More athletes than you might realize have competed without an ACL. It’s just not often discussed because they prefer to avoid outside opinions.”
Both Johnson and the 41-year-old Vonn are part of Team USA’s alpine skiing contingent at the Milano Cortina games, which start on Friday, February 6. Just before the games began, Vonn disclosed that she was dealing with an ACL injury.
Despite the setback, Lindsey Vonn is determined not to let her injury hinder her remarkable return at the 2026 Winter Olympics. On Tuesday, February 3, Vonn, 41, revealed on Instagram, “Last Friday, I completely tore my ACL. I also have a bone bruise, a common occurrence with such tears.”
Lindsey Vonn isn’t letting anything — even a catastrophic injury — get in the way of her miraculous comeback at the 2026 Winter Olympics. “Well… I completely tore my ACL last Friday,” Vonn, 41, shared via Instagram on Tuesday, February 3. “I also sustained a bone bruise (which is a common injury when you tear […]
“I completely tore my ACL last Friday,” she said in a Tuesday, February 3, Instagram video. “I also sustained a bone bruise (which is a common injury when you tear your ACL), plus meniscal tears but it’s unclear how much of that was there previously and what was new from the crash.”
Vonn continued, “This was obviously incredibly hard news to receive one week before the Olympics. I really appreciate everyone giving me time and space to process what happened and find a way forward.”
Despite her injury, Vonn still planned to race in the Winter Olympics.
“After extensive consultations with doctors, intense therapy, physical tests as well as skiing today, I have determined I am capable of competing in the Olympic Downhill on Sunday,” Vonn said in her statement. “Of course I will still need to do one training run, as is required to race on Sunday, but … I am confident in my body’s ability to perform. Despite my injuries my knee is stable, I do not have swelling and my muscles are firing and reacting as they should.”
Jacqueline Wiles, Lindsey Vonn, Isabella Wright, Mary Bocock, Breezy Johnson and Keely Cashman. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
According to Vonn, she would continue “to evaluate with [her] medical team on a daily basis” for any changes.
“I have every intention of competing on Sunday,” she concluded.
The gold medalist initially retired from the Olympic circuit in 2019 before her comeback five years later in 2024.
“I know what my chances in these Olympics were before this crash, and even though my chances aren’t the same now, there is still a chance,” Vonn added on Tuesday. “And as long as I have a chance, I will not lose hope. I will not give up! It’s not over yet. Thank you to everyone who has reached out and supported me. I feel the love and it is giving me strength.”
The 2026 Winter Olympics are officially here — and Team USA is arriving in Italy with star power, storylines and sky-high expectations. As the world’s best athletes descend on Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, all eyes are on the Americans: from Ilia Malinin’s can’t-miss moment in men’s figure skating to Mikaela Shiffrin’s long-awaited redemption tour on […]
Vonn recently sustained an injury during her World Cup Race in Switzerland late last month.
“I crashed today in the Downhill race in Switzerland and injured my left knee,” she wrote via Instagram on January 30. “I am discussing the situation with my doctors and team and will continue to undergo further exams. This is a very difficult outcome one week before the Olympics, but if there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s a comeback.”
She added at the time, “My Olympic dream is not over. Thank you for all of the love and support. I will give more information when I have it. Thank you to all the medical staff who helped me today. I am grateful for all the incredible help I received.”