Trending Now - Lindsey Vonn Reflects on Olympic Injury Without Regrets

WHO:

ESPN - Lindsey Vonn, 41, is a former Olympic skier.

WHAT:

ESPN - Lindsey Vonn stated, "I was fully in control until I hit that panel," reflecting on her mental state before the crash.

ESPN - Vonn expressed that her crash was "so unlikely and improbable" and emphasized that it was a small error that led to her injury.

ESPN - Vonn mentioned that she was 41 years old with a partial knee replacement and no ACL when she competed in the Olympics.

ESPN - Vonn noted that she contributed to the U.S. women's alpine team winning their first FIS Alpine Nations Cup since 1982, stating, "If we didn't have your 500 and whatever points, we wouldn't have won."

ESPN - Vonn described the pain from her injury as "probably the worst part of it," stating she experienced 12 hours of intense pain after the crash.

ESPN - Vonn shared that she had to allow people to help her during her recovery, stating, "I hate the feeling of not being able to do things myself."

ESPN - Lindsey Vonn is promoting an educational campaign with a biopharmaceutical company focused on antibodies and disease prevention.

ESPN - Vonn stated, "It's been a very slow process," regarding her recovery and use of crutches since the February 8th crash.

ESPN - Vonn mentioned that she has spent time in isolation during her rehabilitation in Utah before traveling to Los Angeles.

ESPN - Vonn expressed that she is "so ready" to have her hair highlighted, indicating a desire to return to normalcy.

ESPN - Vonn noted that she was ranked No. 1 in the world before the Olympics and had a significant lead in the downhill standings prior to her injury.

ESPN - Vonn's crash occurred during her Olympic downhill run, which she described as "so unlikely and improbable."

ESPN - Vonn stated, "I was panicked and I was telling the doctor, like, 'Don't let me get compartment syndrome,'" reflecting her immediate concern after the crash.

ESPN - Vonn described her recovery process as including a fasciotomy due to compartment syndrome, resulting in large scars.

ESPN - Vonn indicated that she has not yet processed the end of her Olympic career, stating, "I still haven't processed the fact that my Olympics are over."

ESPN - Lindsey Vonn suffered a broken right ankle and complex fractures in her left tibia and fibula due to a crash on February 8th, 2026.

ESPN - Vonn stated, "I was definitely leaning on that wheelchair assistance" during her airport experience after the crash.

ESPN - Vonn mentioned that she has to undergo one more surgery to remove hardware and fix her ACL, which will likely require three to four weeks on crutches.

ESPN - Vonn expressed that the pain from her injury was "probably the worst part of it," describing it as incredibly painful and requiring multiple surgeries.

ESPN - Lindsey Vonn stated she does not regret her return to the Olympics in 2026.

ESPN - Vonn suffered a violent crash 13 seconds into a race during the Olympics.

WHERE:

ESPN - The interview took place in Utah.

WHEN:

ESPN - The interview occurred on Tuesday, April 5th, 2026.

WHY:

ESPN - Vonn expressed that she felt "strong no matter my age, and I was ready" for the competition.

HOW:

ESPN - Vonn's last surgery was performed by Dr. Tom Hackett, who had to maneuver around a lot of nerves and muscle tissue during the procedure.

ESPN - Vonn's last surgery was performed by Dr. Tom Hackett in Vail, where he used metal to fix the fractures in her tibia.

ESPN - Vonn returned to compete in the Olympics despite her age and previous injuries.

(UPDATED April 8, 2026 15:22 UTC)

Lindsey Vonn reflected on her recent crash, stating she was "fully in control" until she hit a panel, which she described as a small error that led to her injury. At 41 years old, with a partial knee replacement and no ACL, Vonn contributed to the U.S. women's alpine team winning their first FIS Alpine Nations Cup since 1982, emphasizing the importance of her points in the victory. She also shared the intense pain she experienced after the crash, calling it "probably the worst part of it," and mentioned how difficult it was for her to accept help during her recovery, saying, "I hate the feeling of not being able to do things myself."

(UPDATED April 8, 2026 03:55 UTC)

Lindsey Vonn is currently promoting an educational campaign with a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on antibodies and disease prevention. In her recovery from a crash during her Olympic downhill run, Vonn described the process as slow and mentioned spending time in isolation in Utah, expressing her eagerness to return to normalcy, including getting her hair highlighted. She reflected on the crash as "so unlikely and improbable," and shared her concern about potential compartment syndrome, which led to a fasciotomy and large scars, while admitting she hasn't yet processed the end of her Olympic career.

(UPDATED April 8, 2026 01:23 UTC)

Lindsey Vonn suffered a broken right ankle and complex fractures in her left tibia and fibula due to a crash February 8th, and she described the pain from her injury as "probably the worst part of it," requiring multiple surgeries. Vonn mentioned that she has to undergo one more surgery to remove hardware and fix her ACL, which will likely mean three to four weeks on crutches, and she admitted, "I was definitely leaning on that wheelchair assistance" during her airport experience after the crash. Her last surgery was performed by Dr. Tom Hackett in Vail, where he used metal to fix the fractures in her tibia.

(UPDATED April 7, 2026 21:16 UTC)

Lindsey Vonn, the 41-year-old former Olympic skier, stated in an interview on Tuesday that she does not regret her return to the Olympics in 2026, despite suffering a violent crash just 13 seconds into a race. During the interview, which took place in Utah, Vonn expressed her confidence, saying she felt "strong no matter my age, and I was ready" for the competition. Vonn's decision to compete again highlights her resilience, as she returned to the Olympic stage despite her age and past injuries.