The U.S. Ski & Snowboard issued an official medical update on Lindsey Vonn on Sunday following her terrifying crash at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
“Update: Lindsey Vonn sustained an injury, but is in stable condition and in good hands with a team of American and Italian physicians,” the team said in a statement.
The update came hours after one of the most chilling moments of the Winter Games, when Vonn’s daring Olympic comeback took a devastating turn on the sport’s biggest stage.
Lindsey Vonn Airlifted After Violent Olympic Downhill Crash
Vonn, 41, was competing just nine days after rupturing the ACL in her left knee when she lost control early in the women’s downhill. She was launched airborne at high speed before slamming violently into the snow.
Vonn remained down on the course for several minutes, audibly screaming in pain, as medical personnel rushed to her side. Officials immobilized her on a backboard, secured her to a gurney and airlifted her from the mountain by helicopter as stunned spectators fell silent.
The incident immediately cast a pall over the finish area and shifted the tone of an event already drawing enormous attention because of Vonn’s decision to race despite the recent ACL tear.
Olympic Comeback Drew Global Attention — and Risk
A three-time Olympic medalist and one of the most decorated alpine skiers in history, Vonn returned to competition after undergoing a partial knee replacement in 2024. Her comeback, capped by a dramatic qualification for the Milan Cortina Games, quickly became one of the Olympics’ most compelling storylines.
That narrative grew even more intense after she tore her ACL less than two weeks before the downhill, a decision that placed her under a global spotlight — and scrutiny — as she chose to compete anyway.
International Ski and Snowboard Federation president Johan Eliasch called the crash “tragic,” while acknowledging the dangers inherent in the sport.
“That’s ski racing,” Eliasch said, according to the Associated Press.
Breezy Johnson Wins Gold Amid Somber Atmosphere
While concern for Vonn dominated the aftermath, Breezy Johnson delivered the defining run of her career, capturing gold in the women’s downhill for her first Olympic medal.
The 30-year-old from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, finished just 0.04 seconds ahead of Germany’s Emma Aicher, while Italy’s Sofia Goggia earned bronze in front of an emotional home crowd.
But Johnson said the joy of her breakthrough was deeply intertwined with heartbreak for her teammate.
“To have this course burn you and to watch those dreams die … it was one of the most heartbreaking moments of my life,” Johnson said via the Associated Press. “It’s not the physical pain — we can deal with physical pain — but the emotional pain is something else. I wish her the best and I hope that this isn’t the end.”
U.S. Teammates Struggle With Bittersweet Emotions
No one captured the conflicting emotions of the day better than Jackie Wiles, who finished fourth — her best Olympic result — missing the podium by just 0.27 seconds.
“There were bittersweet emotions,” Wiles said, according to the Associated Press. “I was psyched for Breezy, but devastated for Lindsey. It really sucks and my heart kind of just broke for her in that moment. But that’s the inherent risk of this sport.”
Another U.S. skier, Wright, who finished 21st, echoed the sentiment shared throughout the team.
“You don’t want that for anyone, and you especially don’t want it for your teammate and for Lindsey,” Wright said via the Associated Press. “She deserved a better ending than that.”
U.S. Ski Team Issues Update After Lindsey Vonn’s Horrifying Olympic Crash