Lindsey Vonn airlifted to hospital after horrible crash on downhill ski event

Suddenly there was silence. The only sound was Lindsey Vonn’s screams of pain. Broken. A heartbreaking image that will forever be etched into the memory of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games. The miracle attempt to compete after tearing the cruciate ligament in her left knee a week earlier in Switzerland ended in tragedy. Her tears became those of the entire Olympic community. The faces of her sister and father, watching from the stands at the foot of the legendary Olympia delle Tofane, perfectly captured what had just happened: the end of Vonn’s sporting life.

Will Lindsey Vonn return to the Olympic Games? Is her career over?

Unfortunately, given her injury history, it seems like it could be the last time that Vonn takes to her skis at the elite level. Recovering from one serious injury is bad enough, but another may well just be a step too far.

What injury does Lindsey Vonn have?

At the time of writing, nothing is known about the extent of Vonn’s injury.

The criticism will intensify. She will be called reckless. But anyone who has ever desperately wanted something can put themselves in Vonn’s place and understand her. She needed to be at these Games, the fifth of a glorious career too often interrupted by injury. For the love of the sport that made her a global icon, one of the most influential women on the planet, she rebuilt her right knee with titanium and experimental robotic techniques, the knee that had suffered the most damage throughout her career. And she came back. And she won again, raising her World Cup victory tally to 84.

Everything was going perfectly until last Friday, when she was airlifted from the slopes of Crans-Montana after another crash that tore her left cruciate ligament. “As long as I have a chance, I’ll try,” she said, in a line that could have come straight from one of the motivational campaigns sports brands love so much. And she did try. She trained relentlessly in the gym. She posted strong times in training. She had the nerve to stand at the start gate above the Tofane ramps this Sunday, in a setting that would intimidate anyone carrying even half the mental weight she has borne for years.

No, Vonn did not hesitate. She launched herself into history. She entered the Schuss, the Tofane “shuttle”, the opening stretch where maximum speed is essential before the more technical sections that follow.

She never made it past that point. On a left-hand turn she lost her balance, lost control of her skis, and slid onto her left knee, tumbling violently several metres downhill. Tofane became a scene of mourning, broken only by the thunder of helicopter rotors rushing to her aid and the heart-rending cries of a legend who risked everything, fought until the end, and tragically lost her sporting life in a matter of seconds.

Related stories

Winter Olympics 2026

US to get Olympic schedule rolling

Winter Olympics 2026

Parade of Nations: who are the Milan 2026 flag bearers?

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.