Lindsey Vonn insists she’s got ‘no regrets’ as Winter Olympics star breaks silence after horror crash
Lindsey Vonn has spoken for the first time since her devastating crash during Sunday’s Olympic downhill final in Cortina, disclosing that she sustained a complex tibia fracture.
The 41-year-old American skiing legend took to Instagram to address the incident that brought a dramatic end to her Olympic career at the Milan-Cortina Games.
Vonn confirmed the injury is “currently stable” but will necessitate several surgical procedures to repair properly.
She has already undergone two operations since the accident, which saw her airlifted from the mountain following the terrifying fall.
The crash occurred during what was a historic appearance, with Vonn becoming the oldest woman ever to compete in an Olympic alpine skiing event.
In her statement, Vonn was emphatic that her previous knee injury bore no responsibility for the accident.
“My ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever,” she wrote.
Lindsey Vonn has spoken for the first time since her devastating crash during Sunday’s Olympic downhill final in Cortina, disclosing that she sustained a complex tibia fracture
|
REUTERS
The skiing icon had ruptured knee ligaments in the same left leg just nine days before the Olympic final.
Instead, Vonn attributed the crash to a marginal error in her racing line.
“I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulted in my crash,” she explained.
Lindsey Vonn crashed while competing at the Winter Olympics with a serious ACL injury | REUTERS
The three-time Olympic medallist noted that in downhill skiing, the margin between executing a strategic line and suffering a catastrophic injury can be as minimal as five inches.
Photographs captured moments before the fall show Vonn colliding with a ski gate whilst airborne, her right arm positioned on the wrong side of the marker as it appeared to snap from the impact.
The American’s body rotated 180 degrees before she struck the ground heavily, with her right leg making initial contact before she tumbled forward, seemingly striking her shoulder against the slope.
Spectators in Cortina fell silent as medical personnel rushed to attend to the stricken athlete, whose skis remained attached to her boots throughout the ordeal.
Distressing footage showed Vonn grimacing and crying out as she lay in the snow awaiting evacuation.
Organisers played background music over the loudspeakers as she was placed onto a stretcher, with the downhill competition subsequently halted while other racers waited at the summit.
Lindsey Vonn was airlifted to hospital after her crash, with the skier sustaining a broken leg | GETTY
Despite the agonising conclusion to her Olympic journey, Vonn expressed no remorse about her decision to compete.
“While yesterday did not end the way I had hoped, and despite the intense physical pain it caused, I have no regrets,” she stated.
The holder of 45 downhill victories and 28 super-G wins reflected on the inherent dangers of her sport, acknowledging that racing has always carried significant risk.
“Standing in the starting gate yesterday was an incredible feeling that I will never forget,” Vonn wrote, adding that simply having a chance at victory represented its own triumph.
She concluded with an inspirational message to her followers: “I hope if you take away anything from my journey it’s that you all have the courage to dare greatly. Life is too short not to take chances on yourself. Because the only failure in life is not trying.”
