Skier Vonn Completes Run 1 Week After Tearing ACL

One week after rupturing her knee ligament in a crash that required an airlift to the hospital, Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn crossed the finish line with a fist bump and a simple "Yup" when asked if she was okay.

The 41-year-old American skier tore her left ACL at a World Cup race in Switzerland just days before the Winter Olympics began. Most athletes would need months of recovery, but Vonn had other plans.

On Friday, she completed her mandatory training run at the Olimpia delle Tofane course in Cortina, Italy, finishing in 1 minute 44 seconds. Her knee is supported by a brace, but she showed no signs of struggle as she navigated the challenging course in foggy conditions that caused many other skiers to miss gates.

The run was crucial because Olympic rules require skiers to complete at least one training session to qualify for competition. Vonn can now compete in Sunday's downhill race, where she hopes to add to her 2010 Olympic gold medal.

Her coach, double Olympic champion Aksel Lund Svindal, believes she still has a shot at the podium. "From what I saw today I think she can," he told reporters after watching her ski at 80 mph on a torn ligament.

Vonn posted videos this week showing her doing barbell squats in the gym. She says her knee isn't swollen or painful, which gave her the confidence to push forward despite the injury.

Why This Inspires

Vonn's determination represents something bigger than one athlete's comeback. She already retired from skiing in 2019 before returning last December following a partial knee replacement on her other leg.

Now she's competing at the highest level with a fresh ACL tear, showing that age and injury don't have to define what's possible. The four-time world champion was a favorite for gold before her crash and still leads the downhill World Cup standings.

Her journey resonates beyond the ski slopes. It's a reminder that setbacks don't have to become endpoints, and that sometimes the most inspiring moments come not from avoiding obstacles but from facing them head-on.

Sunday's race will reveal whether Vonn can pull off what would be one of the most remarkable comebacks in Olympic history.