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 every week in the past. She is alleged to be in steady situation after present process surgical procedure for a leg fracture.
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 stand up. Medical personnel put her on a stretcher and airlifted her from the course.
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Vonn’s “proper ski pole snagged a gate, jerking her off stability and uncontrolled,” Group USA mentioned in an announcement.
After the crash, Vonn might be heard screaming that she wasn’t capable of take away her skis. She was taken to a clinic in Cortina, then transferred to a bigger hospital in Treviso, a two-hour drive to the south, the Related Press reported.
Vonn was being “handled by a multidisciplinary staff” and “underwent an orthopedic operation to stabilize a fracture reported in her left leg,” the Ca’ Foncello hospital mentioned in an announcement.
The U.S. Ski Group mentioned she had “sustained an damage” however was “in steady situation and in good arms with a staff of American and Italian physicians.”
“She’ll be OK, however it is going to be a little bit of a course of,” mentioned Anouk Patty, chief of sport for U.S. Ski and Snowboard. “This sport’s brutal and folks want to recollect once they’re watching (that) these athletes are throwing themselves down a mountain and going actually, actually quick.”
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 recollections.
Thomas Pronske from Austin, Texas, who was watching the occasion on the sidelines, informed 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 most effective for her … She was a really massive cause 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 damage … and once more I hope she’s okay.”
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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, informed 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 Group USA skier who got here in fourth in Sunday’s race, 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 good friend go down is actually difficult for everybody, however we want the most effective for Lindsay and her restoration,” Kosher mentioned.
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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 staff and particularly have a good time Lindsay’s unbelievable profession. That is completely heartbreaking, however true to type, Lindsay would not have it every other manner,” Christianson mentioned. “She knew the dangers. Ski racers all the time settle for it and also you noticed the dedication 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 exhibits how necessary she’s been to the game. We will need to see what occurs. We want her the most effective. However only a intestine punch.”
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Forward of Sunday’s race, one Group USA official had mentioned that Vonn entering into a foul crash through the race was their greatest concern. Given all the eye on her and her inspiring story, the picture of her being airlifted off the course through the race was their worst-case state of affairs.
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 the moment injured.
“Simply getting to those Olympics has been a journey, and one which some didn’t consider 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 fabricated from,” 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 resulting from 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 women will push tougher. So everybody will most likely go quicker, that means Lindsey would additionally have to go quicker. Nevertheless it’s a strong run, however I believe she has yet another gear.”
On Sunday, Johnson received gold after taking the early lead, flying down the enduring Olympia delle Tofana course on a sunny day in Cortina in 1:36.10. Emma Aicher of Germany and Sofia Goggia of Italy rounded up the rostrum.
“My coronary heart goes out to her. I hope it is not as unhealthy because it seemed,” Johnson mentioned, after Vonn’s crash. “I understand how troublesome it’s to ski this course and the way typically, since you love this course a lot, whenever you crash on it and it hurts you want that, it hurts that a lot worse. And so, yeah, my coronary heart simply goes out to her.”
