Milan Cortina, Italy – Lindsey Vonn will complete the last Olympic downhill ski run of her career Sunday at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, remarkably doing so with a completely torn ACL. The declaration has sent ripples through the alpine skiing world,raising questions about her ability to compete at the highest level while battling such a significant injury.
Vonn to Race Despite Devastating Knee Injury
The legendary skier will compete in her final Olympic downhill despite a complete ACL tear and additional damage to her left leg.
Vonn is scheduled to compete in the Women’s Downhill Final at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, starting at 4:30 a.m. CT on Sunday. Alpine Skiing at Milan Cortina 2026 will air on NBC Chicago and USA Network. Streaming will be available on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com and on the NBC Olympics app.
Vonn announced her decision to compete despite her knee injury just six days ahead of the event. She revealed she completely ruptured her ACL and has bone bruising “plus meniscal damage” in her left leg after losing control and becoming tangled in the safety nets during a recent World Cup race.
What is Lindsey Vonn’s condition as she prepares for her final Olympic downhill? Vonn is competing with a completely torn ACL, bone bruising, and meniscal damage in her left leg, sustained during a World Cup race.
On Saturday,she shared a powerful message about the race on social media,acknowledging the injury and the questions she’d received. “I will race tomorrow in my final Olympic Downhill and while I can’t guarantee a good result, I can guarantee I will give it everything I have,” she said. “But no matter what happens, I have already won.”
Vonn also plans to compete in the Women’s Super-G and a new team combined event. Her determination to finish her Olympic career on her own terms, even while facing a serious injury, has resonated with fans and fellow athletes alike.
Quick fact: lindsey Vonn is one of the most decorated american skiers in history, with three Olympic medals and eight World Championship titles.
Did you know? Vonn previously competed in five olympic Winter Games,beginning with Salt lake City in 2002. She won a bronze medal in downhill at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
Reader question: What is an ACL? The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a major ligament in the knee, providing stability. Tears are common in skiing.
