American skier Lindsey Vonn crashed seconds into her downhill Olympic race on Sunday after she determined to compete regardless of rupturing her left ACL in a previous crash throughout a World Cup occasion within the Swiss Alps per week in the past.
The 41-year-old American, who got here out of retirement to compete within the 2026 Winter Olympics, earlier confirmed that she had absolutely ruptured her ACL, however mentioned she felt assured she may nonetheless full the race with the assistance of a knee brace.
Seconds into the race, Vonn misplaced management after she appeared to clip a flag marking the aspect of the course, flew sideways within the air and hit her head on the bottom. She was responsive however didn’t rise up. Medical personnel put her on a stretcher and airlifted her from the course.
Aleksandra Szmigiel / REUTERS
After the crash, Vonn could possibly be heard screaming that she wasn’t in a position to take away her skis.
Vonn had household within the stands, together with her father, Alan Kildow, who stared down on the floor whereas his daughter was being handled. Others within the crowd, together with Snoop Dogg, watched quietly because the star skier was lastly taken off the course the place she had so many fond reminiscences.
Thomas Pronske from Austin, Texas, who was watching the occasion on the sidelines, instructed CBS Information after the accident: “I hope she’s OK. It didn’t look good. We noticed her take fairly a little bit of a tumble and I am praying and wishing for the perfect for her… She was a really huge purpose why I used to be right here. It is simply exceptional the comeback story of her overcoming adversity … I’ve torn my ACL myself, I do know it is a painful harm… and once more I hope she’s okay.”
Andrew Milligan/PA Photos through Getty Photos 
Maria Pronske, Thomas’ mom, who mentioned she was so impressed by Vonn that she had come to see the occasion with an injured knee herself on her birthday, instructed CBS Information that she “felt terrible for her along with her knee… Poor factor. I really feel so sorry for her. I pray for her too.”
Crista Kosher, the cousin of Jacqueline Wiles, one other Crew USA skier, mentioned it was “completely devastating to see her teammate be lifted off the hill.”
“Lindsay and Jacqueline have been racing collectively for years and years and years now, they usually positively have a mentor-mentee relationship, and seeing her buddy go down is basically difficult for everybody, however we want the perfect for Lindsay and her restoration,” Kosher mentioned.
Ezra Shaw / Getty Photos 
Charles Christianson, a retired ex-ski racer from Park Metropolis, Utah, mentioned the crash was “completely heartbreaking.”
“Everyone seems to be right here to cheer on the complete American workforce and particularly have fun Lindsay’s unbelievable profession. That is completely heartbreaking, however true to type, Lindsay would not have it some other approach,” Christianson mentioned. “She knew the dangers. Ski racers all the time settle for it and also you noticed the willpower when she went out of the gate. She was charging. There was by no means a doubt in her thoughts what she was going to do and it was gonna be podium or bust and it goes each methods. So once more, the respect of the gang and everybody right here reveals how necessary she’s been to the game. We’ll should see what occurs. We want her the perfect. However only a intestine punch.”
Stefano RELLANDINI /AFP through Getty Photos 
Forward of Sunday’s race, one Crew USA official had mentioned that Vonn moving into a foul crash in the course of the race was their largest concern. Given all the eye on her and her inspiring story, the picture of her being airlifted off the course in the course of the race was their worst-case situation.
Earlier than her retirement in 2019, Vonn had competed with a torn lateral collateral ligament, three tibia fractures and a bone bruise, and nonetheless received a bronze medal. She now has one titanium knee, although that is not the joint that is at present injured.
“Simply getting to those Olympics has been a journey, and one which some didn’t imagine in from the beginning,” Vonn mentioned in a social media submit late Saturday. “I retired for six years, and due to a partial knee substitute, I had the prospect to compete yet another time. However why? Everybody appears to be asking me that query. However I believe the reply is easy… I simply love ski racing.
“I’m not not sure about life outdoors of sport. I’m not trying to find that means or for consideration or cash. I do know precisely who I’m and I do know precisely what I’m product of,” she mentioned.
Vonn had clocked the third-fastest time in a coaching run on Saturday, forward of the race — behind her teammate Breezy Johnson — although the run was referred to as off as a consequence of unhealthy climate earlier than all of the racers had participated.
“I believe it is a good run,” Vonn’s coach, Aksel Lund Svindal, mentioned. “Tomorrow is the race and it is the Olympics and the ladies will push tougher. So everybody will in all probability go quicker, that means Lindsey would additionally must go quicker. Nevertheless it’s a strong run, however I believe she has yet another gear.”
Johnson raced forward of Vonn and accomplished the run in simply over 1:36.
