Lindsey Vonn, a contender for the 2026 Olympics, has broken her silence following a crash on Sunday (February 8), which led to her being airlifted from the course.
Despite a recent ACL rupture, Vonn, 41, braved the slopes on Sunday. She engaged in test runs prior to her event and appeared to handle everything well, thus she went ahead with the competition.
However, disaster occurred when Vonn collided with one of the flags during her descent, causing her to fall.
The athlete was heard crying out in pain before being transported to the hospital by air.
Since the event, which was witnessed by millions, details have been scarce except for the confirmation that the 41-year-old suffered a leg fracture.
Vonn has now addressed the incident for the first time through an extensive Instagram post.
On Monday (February 9), she wrote: “Yesterday my Olympic dream did not finish the way I dreamt it would. It wasn’t a story book ending or a fairy tail [sic], it was just life.
“I dared to dream and had worked so hard to achieve it. Because in Downhill ski racing the difference between a strategic line and a catastrophic injury can be as small as 5 inches.
“I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulted in my crash. My ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever.”
Vonn disclosed that she has a complex tibia fracture and, although she is currently stable, she will require ‘multiple surgeries’ for recovery.
She went on: “While yesterday did not end the way I had hoped, and despite the intense physical pain it caused, I have no regrets. Standing in the starting gate yesterday was an incredible feeling that I will never forget.
“Knowing I stood there having a chance to win was a victory in and of itself. I also knew that racing was a risk. It always was and always will be an incredibly dangerous sport.”
Emphasizing her lack of regret about racing, Vonn encouraged people to draw inspiration from her experience and to ‘dare greatly’.
“Life is too short not to take chances on yourself. Because the only failure in life is not trying. I believe in you, just as you believed in me,” she concluded.