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Last week, Vonn experienced a crash that resulted in a knee injury during her final downhill race leading up to the Olympics.
WASHINGTON — Despite facing a setback, Lindsey Vonn remains determined to make her Olympic return. The American skiing icon announced on Tuesday her plans to participate in the Winter Games, even after an injury she incurred last Friday.
Vonn revealed on Tuesday that she has a “completely ruptured” ACL, and also suffers from bone bruising in addition to meniscal damage.
However, following three days of intensive physical therapy and medical consultations, Vonn hit the slopes again on Tuesday, equipped with a knee brace.
“It feels stable, it feels strong,” Vonn stated, expressing her confidence and readiness to compete in the races ahead.
“I will do everything in my power to be in the starting gate.”
The American skier said she still has to undergo a pre-race training session to fully know how her leg is healing after the injuries sustained in Friday’s crash. The opening women’s downhill training session is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 5.
Vonn, 41, crashed and suffered the injury in her final downhill race before the Games.
“I’m confident that I can compete on Sunday,” Vonn announced during a press conference in Cortina, Italy.
“Because I push the limits, I crash. I’ve been injured more times than I can count. But those are the cards I’ve been dealt,” Vonn explained.
Vonn said her goal is to race the downhill, but she will take things day by day. She will evaluate after the downhill if she can compete in additional races.
After getting a partial joint replacement in her right knee, Vonn returned to racing last season and now she’s heading back to Cortina aiming to add some new entries to her career record there — if her left knee allows it.
“The best thing I can do is represent us well. It is a privilege to be here,” the Team USA star said.
Vonn was the third skier to crash in Friday’s World Cup race in Crans-Montana when she lost control while landing a jump and ended up tangled in the safety nets on the upper portion of the course.
She got up after receiving medical attention for about five minutes, seemingly in pain and using her poles to steady herself. Vonn then skied slowly to the finish line, stopping a couple of times on the way down and clutching her left knee.
“I crashed today in the Downhill race in Switzerland and injured my left knee. I am discussing the situation with my doctors and team and will continue to undergo further exams,” Vonn wrote in her Instagram post. “Thank you for all of the love and support. I will give more information when I have it.”
During Tuesday’s press conference, held three days before the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Games, Vonn said she isn’t in pain from her injury and hasn’t deviated from her plan to compete.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.