CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — American skiing legend Lindsey Vonn suffered a devastating crash just 13 seconds into the women’s downhill race at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Sunday, bringing a sudden end to her hopes of winning another Olympic medal in a dramatic comeback from retirement.
Vonn, one of the most anticipated athletes of the Games, lost control after her right arm clipped a gate near the top of the course. The impact threw her off balance as she launched off the first major jump, sending her spinning through the air before slamming hard onto her right side. Her skis landed perpendicular to the slope as she tumbled violently across the snow.
The crash stunned the crowd into silence as medical personnel rushed to her side. Vonn remained on the course for more than 10 minutes before being airlifted by helicopter to a nearby medical facility. Officials have not yet confirmed the extent of her injuries.
The 41-year-old Team USA star had completed two solid training runs earlier in the week and appeared ready to contend. Her return to Olympic competition came after retiring in 2019 and later undergoing a partial knee replacement in 2024, which included a titanium implant in her right knee.
Vonn’s comeback was already considered remarkable. Despite tearing her ACL just weeks earlier during a race in Switzerland, she surged back into elite form this season. She led the World Cup downhill standings with two victories and five additional podium finishes, pushing her career win total to 84.
Sunday’s downhill began at 11:30 a.m. local time on the iconic Olimpia delle Tofane course, a venue deeply connected to Vonn’s career. Cortina was where she earned her first World Cup podium and later became the most successful female skier in World Cup history, a record now held by fellow American Mikaela Shiffrin.
Cortina’s role as host of the women’s alpine events at the 2026 Olympics was a major reason Vonn chose to attempt one final comeback. She previously said the emotional pull of the mountain made the risk worthwhile.
Team USA remains strong in the women’s downhill field. Breezy Johnson, 30, is a leading medal contender in her Olympic return after recovering from severe knee injuries that sidelined her before the 2022 Beijing Games. Americans Jackie Wiles and Bella Wright are also competing.
The Tofane course has faced challenging conditions in recent days, with fog and light snowfall causing delays and canceled training runs, adding to the difficulty of an already demanding downhill event.