Lindsey Vonn completed her second consecutive successful downhill practice on Saturday and is set to compete for a medal at the Milano-Cortina Olympics at the age of 41 on Sunday, just over a week after tearing the ACL in her left knee.
The American finished in third place, 0.37 seconds behind her teammate Breezy Johnson, the current leader, and expressed her satisfaction by pumping her fist upon seeing the outcome.
Vonn assured The Associated Press, “All good.”
Aksel Lund Svindal, the 2018 Olympic downhill champion from Norway who now serves as Vonn’s coach, observed that she remained composed after her run and did not mention her knee injury.
Svindal remarked, “She appeared very composed, and she did not bring up the knee issue at all. I refrained from asking about it, as I perceived her calm demeanor as a positive sign. When she is composed, it indicates that she feels in control. Tomorrow, she will need to exert more effort because her competitors will be pushing harder, especially in the Olympic downhill event, where winning a medal requires maximum effort. I believe she is prepared for the challenge.”
Despite Vonn showing signs of discomfort in her right leg while landing jumps during training, which occasionally threw her off balance, Svindal hopes to minimize this issue for the upcoming runs. He emphasized, “We aim to reduce these instances tomorrow as they are the most painful.”
Vonn is participating with a substantial brace supporting her injured knee. Following a partial titanium replacement in her right knee in 2024, she returned to competitive skiing last season after a nearly six-year hiatus. A crash in the final World Cup downhill event before the Olympics raised concerns that she might not only end her season but also her career.
However, Vonn has remained resolute in her decision to compete in the Olympics if feasible. After a canceled training session on Thursday, she took on the Olympia delle Tofana downhill course on Friday and Saturday alongside other racers. Despite finishing 11th in Thursday’s training session, the timings are not always indicative of the athletes’ full capabilities.
Svindal acknowledged that the brace worn by Vonn impacts her aerodynamics negatively but emphasized, “We are not focusing on that aspect because if she requests to remove the brace, several medical professionals would have objections. Therefore, it is best not to broach that subject with her.”
Vonn boasts a remarkable record of 12 World Cup victories in Cortina.