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Skiing icon Lindsey Vonn insists she will decide her career path despite calls for her retirement following a devastating accident at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina that nearly cost her a leg.
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American ski racer Lindsey Vonn. Photo by Instagram/@lindseyvonn |
"No, I’m not ready to discuss my future in skiing," Vonn wrote on X. "My focus has been on recovering from my injury and getting back to normal life. I was already retired for 6 years and have an amazing life outside of skiing. It was incredible to be #1 in the world again at 41 years old and set new records in my sport, but at my age, I’m the only one that will decide my future."
During over two decades of her career, the legendary skier has boasted a downhill gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, two Olympic bronze medals and 84 World Cup victories.
On Jan. 10, she clinched another World Cup victory and breaking her own record for the oldest skier to do so.
"I don’t need anyone’s permission to do what makes me happy. Maybe that means racing again, maybe that doesn’t. Only time will tell. Please stop telling me what I should or should not do. I’ll let you know when I decide," she added.
The accident occurred during the women's downhill event at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Center. Just 13 seconds after leaving the starting gate, the 41-year-old athlete hit a track marker, lost control, and was thrown off the course, resulting in a severe injury to her left leg.
According to Reuters, the accident nearly forced Vonn to have her leg amputated. She suffered a complex fracture of her left tibia and underwent five surgeries after the fall to save her leg.
Vonn said the recovery process will be lengthy. Doctors predict it will take about a year for her bones to heal completely. Only then will they assess whether the metal hardware in her leg needs to be removed before performing another surgery to fully repair her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Before the serious accident, Vonn had chosen to compete in the Olympics with a ligament injury. She ruptured her left ACL during a World Cup event in Switzerland just over a week before the Games, but opted to compete instead of withdrawing.
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Lindsey Vonn in her competing gears for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Photo by Instagram/@lindseyvonn |
Since Vonn has not officially announced her retirement, online fans have been discussing her future. When a user harshly suggested she should put her feet up and be done after nearly losing her leg, Vonn was quick to respond.
"[I] think you’re mistaking my ego for joy. I’ve said it my whole life; I love skiing," she wrote. "I’ll put my feet up when I’m good and ready thank you."
Her defiant stance was the opposite of her family's wishes. Her father, Alan Kildow, has publicly stated that his daughter's career was over.
"She’s 41 years old and this is the end of her career," Kildow told AP in February. "There will be no more ski races for Lindsey Vonn, as long as I have anything to say about it."
However, Vonn continues to leave the door open for a return. She surprised fans by posting a training video on Instagram just 25 days after her accident. In the video, she performed exercises to strengthen her thighs, shoulders, back and abs, while also treating her injured left leg.
At the end of the video, Vonn was even able to stand up from her wheelchair.
