Lindsey Vonn Defies Medical Odds to Become Olympic Downhill Favorite
American alpine skiing icon Lindsey Vonn has delivered a stunning performance that defies conventional medical wisdom, positioning herself as a legitimate medal contender in the Olympic downhill event just one week after suffering a devastating knee injury.
Remarkable Recovery and Training Performance
Vonn, who suffered a completely torn ACL in her left knee during a World Cup race in Switzerland on January 30, took to the slopes of Cortina d'Ampezzo on Saturday morning for the final training run before Sunday's downhill final at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Competing with a substantial brace on her injured knee, the 41-year-old skier finished with the third-best time among 21 competitors who participated in the crucial final tune-up session.
Her time of 1:38.28 placed her just 0.37 seconds behind American teammate Breezy Johnson and represented a significant improvement over her Friday training run time of 1:40.33, which marked her first official outing since the injury occurred.
Confidence and Determination on Display
After completing her impressive training run, Vonn offered a characteristically brief but telling assessment to the Associated Press, stating simply that everything was "all good." This confidence reflects her earlier declaration during a Tuesday press conference where she vowed to do everything possible to compete despite the injury.
"I'm still here. I think I'm still able to fight. I think I'm still able to try," Vonn told reporters. "And I will try as long as I have the ability to, I will not go home regretting not trying. I will do everything in my power to be in that starting gate."
Social Media Support and Betting Odds
Vonn has maintained an active presence on social media throughout her recovery, sharing updates from her training sessions and inspirational messages with her followers. Before her Saturday run, she posted pictures from her Friday outing with the caption: "First training solid run and feeling good. One step at a time."
The skiing legend has received overwhelming support from notable figures including Demi Moore, Reese Witherspoon, and Gwyneth Paltrow, who have shared "Believe" posts featuring Vonn's image on their social media platforms.
Betting markets appear to share this confidence in Vonn's chances, with sportsbooks listing her with the second-best odds to win the downhill race at +375 on DraftKings, trailing only Italian favorite Sofia Goggia at +175. Goggia won the event at the 2018 Games in Beijing.
Olympic History and Current Condition
Vonn brings extensive Olympic experience to her current campaign, having competed in four previous Winter Games beginning with her debut at Salt Lake City in 2002. Her Olympic medal collection includes a gold and bronze from Vancouver 2010 and another bronze from Pyeongchang in 2018.
Remarkably, Vonn reported during her press conference that she is experiencing no pain and that her knee shows no swelling, despite the severity of her injury. She tested her knee earlier in the week by going skiing and found it to be stable and strong.
"This is not, obviously, what I had hoped for," she acknowledged. "I've been working really hard to come into these Games in a much different position. I know what my chances were before the crash, and I know my chances aren't the same as it stands today, but I know there's still a chance, and as long as there's a chance, I will try."
Competition Strategy and Outlook
Vonn has identified the downhill as her primary focus for these Games and indicated she will make decisions about competing in the team combined and super-G events following Sunday's race. Her main goal remains clear: to compete at the highest level despite the significant physical challenge she faces.
"Considering how my knee feels," Vonn stated with determination, "I feel stable, I feel strong, my knee is not swollen, and with the help of a knee brace, I am confident that I can compete on Sunday."
Her remarkable recovery and training performance have transformed what could have been a tragic end to her Olympic aspirations into a compelling story of resilience and determination that will captivate audiences during Sunday's downhill final.
