Lindsey Vonn undergoes surgery after crashing in Olympic downhill
Lindsey Vonn underwent orthopedic surgery after being injured in a crash during the Olympic women’s downhill, according to hospital officials. U.S. Ski & Snowboard said Vonn is in stable condition and in good hands with American and Italian physicians.
The hospital said the surgery, performed Sunday afternoon, was to stabilize a fracture in Vonn’s left leg, according to a statement cited by Reuters.
A source told Reuters that Vonn was being monitored in an intensive care unit to allow for privacy and said her injuries were not life-threatening. She is being treated at Ca’ Foncello Hospital.
The crash occurred early in Vonn’s run on the downhill course at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre in Cortina. NBC News reported that she struck a gate near the top of the course, lost control and fell hard, sliding down the slope before coming to a stop.
Officials paused the race while medical personnel attended Vonn, and she was later airlifted off the mountain for further evaluation.
The incident shocked spectators and broadcasters, as well as fellow competitors, including U.S. teammate Breezy Johnson, who went on to win gold in the event.
In the same event, Andorra’s Cande Moreno also crashed shortly after leaving the start gate and was evacuated by helicopter. An update shared on Moreno’s Instagram account said she suffered a cruciate ligament tear and a strain to the internal ligament of her right thumb.
Vonn returned to competition after retiring in 2019 because of chronic arthritis in her right knee. After a partial knee replacement in 2023, she resumed training with the goal of competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The downhill crash marked the second time in recent weeks that Vonn had been airlifted from a mountain. She was previously injured during a World Cup race in Crans Montana, Switzerland
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
