The publication of an image captured by the AP agency revealed the exact moment in which Lindsey Vonn hit a signpost during the women’s downhill at the Winter Olympic Games, unleashing the brutal fall that left her with a broken leg and cut short her return to the top international event.The skier was transferred to intensive care at a hospital in Treviso, a decision that, according to the United States team, responds more to privacy reasons than to clinical severity.
The graphic record, obtained seconds before the accident, shows Vonn descending the Cortina d’Ampezzo track, with his right arm on the wrong side of the post.The impact was so violent that the plastic marker broke, causing an immediate loss of control and the fall of the American star.The skier’s body rotated about 180 degrees before lying on the snow, in a scene described as shocking by those who witnessed the accident.Medical personnel arrived quickly and, while the crowd remained silent, the athlete was carried on a stretcher and finally evacuated by helicopter.
In the images of the official TV broadcast through the IOC, the screams of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic champion could be heard in the same event that now had a serious accident.The physical and emotional impact was evident on the Olympic track.The BBC reported that organizers played background music to cover Vonn’s screams of pain as she was being moved, while other competitors removed their skis and the competition was suspended until the athlete was evacuated.
The American ski team communicated through X (formerly Twitter) that Vonn “is stable and in good hands with the team of American and Italian doctors.”Subsequently, it was reported that the athlete underwent two surgical interventions by a joint team of Italian orthopedic and plastic surgeons.The objective was to avoid complications due to swelling and possible circulatory problems.Although the Treviso hospital had only initially reported one surgery, the Reuters agency confirmed that the second intervention was carried out at the direction of Italian specialists, with the presence of Vonn’s personal doctor.
It must be remembered that the 41-year-old athlete had faced the Olympic challenge just nine days after breaking the anterior cruciate ligament in her left leg, an injury she suffered in training before the Games.Her return was doubly risky due to a reconstruction operation on her right knee performed in 2024. Prior to Sunday’s fateful race, Vonn recorded times noticeably lower than those of other favorites: on Friday, she finished 1.39 seconds behind the fastest, and on Saturday, her time was one minute and thirty-eight seconds, 37 seconds behind her teammate BreezyJohnson, who later won gold.
The president of the International Ski Federation, Johan Eliasch, stated that the decision to compete should rest exclusively with the athlete: “I firmly believe that this should be decided by the individual. She knows her injuries better than anyone. What is important for people to understand is that this accident was extremely unfortunate. It was one in a thousand. She got too close to the pole, got caught when she fell and started spinning,” he explained.
The episode shocked both the public and historical specialists and athletes.Chemmy Alcott, a former skier and TV commentator, described on air the drama of the accident and the difficult reality competitors face upon returning from serious injuries.”I feel guilty for getting so excited. I never thought I would end up lying motionless on the side of the track. The risk was very high; if you fall, that risk doubles. Your body won’t be able to handle it,” Alcott said.
“It was definitely the last thing we wanted to see. It happened quickly. So when that happens, you just immediately hope that she’s okay,” said Karin Kildow, the athlete’s sister, according to NBC New York.”She’s very daring. She put it all out there, so it’s very hard to watch, but we really hope she’s okay,” Kildow added.
He also assured that his family is “hoping for the best.”The alpine skiing community awaits news on the health of a historical figure.Vonn’s return had generated great expectations: she had 84 victories in the World Cup, of which 45 were downhill, and accumulated 11 medals in major competitions, including an Olympic gold.His appearance at the 2026 Olympic Games occurred 24 years after his debut in this type of competition.
