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Lindsey Vonn made headlines over the weekend after suffering a back injury in a World Cup race. On Twitter, the four-time World Cup champion wrote, “I am extremely disappointed but my biggest goal this season is the Olympics and I need to take care of myself now so I can be ready for next week, and more importantly, for February.”
With the spotlight on her, fans are growing curious about Vonn’s personal life. For six years, she was married to fellow skier, Thomas Vonn. The couple divorced in 2013.
Read on to learn more about Thomas Vonn.
1. He Met Lindsey at the Salt Lake City Olympic Games
Lindsey Vonn and ex-
husband Thomas Vonn arrive for the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 18, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Lindsey and Thomas met in Salt Lake City, at the Olympic Games. She was just 16 at the time– he was 25.
Thomas is nine years Linsey’s senior, and was, in the words of ESPN, Lindsey’s “rock” when it came to her career.
“He helped coordinate interviews, provided tips on the course and tended to logistics, freeing Lindsey Vonn to concentrate on what she does best — ski fast.”
Still, life behind the curtain was emotionally taxing. The Daily Mail reports Lindsey as saying, “Everyone knows marriage is tough… But it just wasn’t working, and it was making me miserable.” She continued, “Nothing bad happened, but there was just unhappiness. That’s the only way I can even describe it – unhappy.’
2. He and Lindsey Filed for Divorce in 2011
GettyLindsey Vonn and ex-
husband Thomas Vonn arrive for the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 18, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Thomas married Lindsey Vonn on September 29, 2007, in Deer Valley, Utah. They filed for divorce in 2011, after four years of marriage. The divorce was made final on January 9, 2013.
Lindsey’s statement to The Denver Post read, “It is with great sadness that I announce that Thomas and I have begun divorce proceedings… This is an extremely difficult time in my personal life and I hope the media and my fans can respect my need for privacy on this matter. I will continue to be coached by the U.S. Ski Team and look forward to competing the rest of the season.”
It was during her marriage to Thomas that Lindsey reached her international superstar status. She decided to keep the name Vonn after the divorce.
3. He Placed 9th at the 2002 Winter Olympics
GettyPARK CITY, UNITED STATES: US Thomas Vonn during the men’s giant slalom 1st run for the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympics 21 February 2002 at Park City.
Thomas attended Northwood School and graduated from St. Lawrence University in 2001.
Primarily a giant slalom racer, he placed 9th in the Super-G at the 2002 Winter Olympics. According to Olympic Sports, Thomas stands 6-feet tall. He was born on December 3 in New York, New York.
4. They Have No Children Together
GettyWHISTLER, BC – FEBRUARY 15: Lindsay Vonn of the USA talks with her husband Thomas Vonn after todays training for the Alpine skiing Women’s Downhill at Whistler Creekside during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics on February 15, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Lindsey and Thomas have no children together. According to TMZ, Lindsey kept the couple’s Park City home in the divorce. Lindsey purchased the house in 2006 for $1.1 million.
The Olympic superstar opened up about her marriage in a number of interviews prior to the divorce. In a 2010 interview with Fitness Magazine, she was asked if it bothers Thomas that she’s won an Olympic gold medal and he hasn’t. She responded, “No! We’re each other’s biggest cheerleaders. He supports me 100 percent. We’re opposites that attract; every cliche you can think of is true when it comes to us. I’m the emotional, spontaneous one who listens to my heart, and he’s logical and focuses on the details.”
Asked if the two ever worked out together, Lindsay said, “Thomas doesn’t want to work out with me ever. We’re too competitive. If we’re side by side on the treadmill, I’ll be checking his speed. I can’t help myself. He’s like, ‘What are you doing?’ I say, ‘I’m going faster than you!’
5. He Returned to Coaching in 2015
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Thomas was Lindsey’s coach when she received Olympic gold at the Vancouver Games.
After the split, Thomas took time away from coaching. “… 2011 was a difficult time for me. Really tough time for me. Had a bad taste in my mouth, so I laid low for a while, regrouped,” Yahoo Sports reports him as saying.
In 2015, Thomas decided to return to the sport by doing consulting work for a handful of US skiers. He then took on a job as a coach for Dean Travers.
“Once I showed my face, a lot of people saw me around. People started wanting me to help them,” Thomas told The Associated Press in an interview. “It’s cool how it came together after being off snow for three years – feels like you’re almost forgotten sometimes.”