CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) β A week afterΒ rupturing the ACLΒ in her left knee,Β Lindsey VonnΒ opened herΒ chase for Olympic goldΒ at the age of 41 with an aggressive and successful downhill training run on Friday β two days before the race.
Vonn got tight with her line midway down and only narrowly cleared a gate but she led at the final checkpoints, then stood up out of her tuck before the finish and placed 11th as skiers got their first official turns on the Olympia delle Tofane course ahead of the big race.
βShe was smart. She didnβt go all in,β said Aksel Lund Svindal, a former Olympic downhill champion from Norway and now one of Vonnβs personal coaches. βShe made a mistake on the bottom, but the rest looked like just good skiing, but no big risk. And to me it looked symmetrical.β
At the finish, Vonn traded fist pumps and a hug with teammate Breezy Johnson, who came down immediately before her and placed sixth, after a nearly hour-long delay because of fog.
βYep,β Vonn told The Associated Press when asked if the run went well. She did not stop to talk further with reporters, leaving for more rehab on her knee.
VonnΒ is skiing at theΒ Milan Cortina GamesΒ with a large brace covering her knee. She has been clear since her crash last week in Switzerland that she would go forward despite an injury that many athletes would consider a season- or even a career-ender.
βNothing makes me happier! No one would have believed I would be here,βΒ Vonn wrote on social mediaΒ before her run. βBut I made it!! Iβm here, Iβm smiling and no matter what, I know how lucky I am. Iβm not going to waste this chance. Letβs go get it!!β
Vonn also took issue with someone questioning the details of her injury.
βMy ACL was fully functioning until last Friday. Just because it seems impossible to you doesnβt mean itβs not possible,βΒ she wrote in a reply on X. βAnd yes, my ACL is 100% ruptured. Not 80% or 50%. Itβs 100% gone.β
Vonn finished 1.39 seconds behind American teammate Jacqueline Wiles, who posted the fastest time and is also a medal threat with two career podium results in Cortina.
Considering her injury and what she showed in training, can Vonn contend for a medal?
βI think she can because there was reserves today,β Svindal said. βYouβve seen earlier this season when she skis well she can win and from what I saw today I think she can. Itβs going to be hard but I think she could possibly bring that on Sunday.β
Vonn had a partial titanium replacement inserted in her right knee in 2024 and then returned to ski racing last season after nearly six years of retirement.Β She crashed during the final World Cup downhill before the OlympicsΒ in Crans-Montana last Friday. She was airlifted off the course only to post on social media later that day: βMy Olympic dream is not over.β
βWeβre all positive, but sheβs awesome,β Svindal said of Vonnβs mindset after her the crash. βShe was the first one to say that, βThis is happening, weβre racing.ββ
With Thursdayβs opening training session canceled due to heavy snowfall, there was one session remaining, on Saturday, before Sundayβs downhill race. Vonn has not decided yet if she will take part in Saturday’s training, Svindal said. But now that she has started one session, she doesn’t need another to be eligible to race.
Vonn holds the record of 12 World Cup wins in Cortina.
βThis felt like race day to me because itβs very important,β Svindal said. βHow she feels today is the confidence that will let her decide how hard she can go. … You know her history. Sheβs gone hard at times when people have told her she shouldnβt probably be in the start even, so I have no doubt that she will go hard at the start and attack on Sunday.β
Svindal said he was more nervous than Vonn during the training session.
βBecause this is important for everyone, everyone, right? If this works, itβs awesome. If something happens, it will be bad,β he said. βBut sheβs been very committed since the first day, and sheβs convinced this will work.β
