Lindsey Vonn’s coach reveals incredible act from skiing star after terrible crash at Winter Olympics
Lindsey Vonn’s coach, Aksel Lund Svindal, has led the tributes after the American great suffered a serious leg injury in a high-speed crash during the women’s downhill at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
The 41-year-old, attempting to complete a remarkable comeback, lost control early in her run after catching a gate with her arm and shoulder, spinning through the air before landing heavily on the slope.
She was later airlifted from the course and taken to hospital, where officials confirmed she was in a stable condition following treatment.
Svindal, the former Olympic champion who has been working closely with Vonn, praised her composure in the immediate aftermath, revealing that her first concern was for a teammate rather than herself.
Writing on social media, he highlighted the moment she asked coaches to pass on congratulations to Breezy Johnson, who had already set the leading time that would ultimately secure Olympic gold.
“Lindsey. You’re incredibly brave,” Svindal said.
“You inspire people that follow your journey and us that work closely with you every day.
Lindsey Vonn’s coach, Aksel Lund Svindal, has led the tributes after the American great suffered a serious leg injury in a high-speed crash during the women’s downhill at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics
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“Yesterday was a tough day on the mountain. For everyone, but most of all for you.
“Still something happened that I think says everything. ‘Tell Breezy congrats and good job’.
“Your teammate was in the lead, and that’s the message you wanted the US ski team coaches to remember before you got airlifted to the hospital.
“Real character shows up in the hard moments.
“Big congrats to Breezy Johnson for the gold.”
Johnson’s victory – achieved by the narrowest of margins on the Cortina course – was overshadowed by the dramatic interruption caused by Vonn’s fall, which halted proceedings as medical staff attended to the injured veteran.
Vonn, widely regarded as one of the most decorated alpine skiers in history, had targeted one final Olympic chapter after returning from retirement.
Her comeback followed years of injury setbacks and a partial knee replacement, a decision that allowed her to resume competition in 2024 after stepping away from the sport in 2019.
Her preparations for the Games had already been complicated by a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament sustained little more than a week before the downhill, yet she remained determined to compete, completing training runs that raised hopes of an unlikely podium challenge.
Breezy Johnson won gold at the Winter Olympics after Lindsey Vonn’s crash
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Those ambitions ended abruptly when her race was cut short within seconds of leaving the start gate, bringing a premature close to one of the most compelling comeback stories of the Games.
Following her evacuation from the mountain, Vonn underwent surgery to address the fracture to her leg and was later described by medical staff as being in a stable condition.
Johnson, meanwhile, sent Vonn her best wishes after the scare in Italy.
“I don’t claim to know what she’s going through, but I do know what it is to be here, to be fighting for the Olympics and to have this course burn you and to watch those dreams die,” she said.
“I can’t imagine the pain that she’s going through, and it’s not the physical pain – we can deal with physical pain – but the emotional pain is something else.
“I hope it’s not as bad as it looked. … My heart just goes out to her.”
