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Lindsey Vonn Reflects on Olympic Crash: “No Regrets” Despite Devastating Injury
Milan, Italy – In a heartfelt message to fans, Olympic skiing legend Lindsey Vonn has expressed “no regrets” following a severe crash at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy that resulted in a complex tibia fracture. The incident, which occurred during Sunday’s women’s downhill race in Cortina, brought an abrupt end to Vonn’s highly anticipated return to competitive skiing.
“Yesterday my Olympic dream did not finish the way I dreamt it would. It wasn’t a story book ending or a fairy tail, it was just life,” Vonn, 41, shared on Instagram Monday, accompanying a photo taken moments before her fall.
The five-time Olympian elaborated on the razor-thin margins in downhill racing, explaining, “In Downhill ski racing the difference between a strategic line and a catastrophic injury can be as small as 5 inches. I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulted in my crash.” She clarified that her previous ACL injuries were not a factor in the accident.
Vonn confirmed the “complex tibia fracture” diagnosis, which Italian hospital staff described as a “nasty fall.” While the fracture is currently stable, it will necessitate multiple surgeries for proper recovery.
Despite the intense physical pain, Vonn remains resolute. “Standing in the starting gate yesterday was an incredible feeling that I will never forget.
Knowing I stood there having a chance to win was a victory in and of itself. I also knew that racing was a risk.
It always was and always will be an incredibly dangerous sport.”
Earlier Monday, Vonn acknowledged a supportive social media post from British sports commentator Dan Walker, thanking him for his well wishes and praise for her resilience.
Vonn had famously come out of retirement to compete in the 2026 Games, despite sustaining a ruptured left ACL in a World Cup event just a week prior in the Swiss Alps. Confident in her ability to compete with a knee brace, her Olympic comeback was cut short mere seconds into her downhill run.
She lost control after clipping a course flag, spiraling sideways and hitting her head. Though responsive, she was airlifted from the course and immediately transported for medical attention.
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard chief of sport, Anouk Patty, remarked on the inherent dangers of the sport, stating, “This sport’s brutal and people need to remember when they’re watching, these athletes are throwing themselves down a mountain and going really, really fast.”
In her message, Vonn also offered a powerful message of encouragement. “I hope if you take away anything from my journey it’s that you all have the courage to dare greatly.
Life is too short not to take chances on yourself. Because the only failure in life is not trying.”
Vonn’s illustrious career includes a gold medal in Downhill and a bronze in Super-G at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and a Downhill bronze at the 2018 PyeongChang Games. Her father, Alan Kildow, himself a former alpine skier, moved their family to Vail, Colorado, to support her Olympic aspirations, which began with her debut at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.