By Mallory Mattingly
Lindsey Vonn might return to downhill skiing, despite all of the injuries she has suffered in her career, including her most recent one at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
“I don’t like to close the door on anything, because you just never know what’s going to happen,” the athlete told Vanity Fair. “It’s hard to tell with this injury.”
During the 2026 Games, she crashed, leaving her with a a complex tibia fracture. She developed compartment syndrome, which almost resulted in amputation.
But Vonn doesn’t want to end her career on that injury.
“I really feel like that was a horrible last run to end my career on. I only made it 13 seconds. But they were a really good 13 seconds,” she said.
Related: Lindsey Vonn Promises ‘I Will Find a Way Back’ After Nearly Losing Her Leg
She added, “I don’t want people to hang on this crash and be remembered for that. What I did before the Olympics has never been done before. I was number one in the standings. No one remembers that I was winning.”
Since she returned home, Vonn has dedicated the majority of her time to rehab.
“Guys….I’m biking!! Starting with 5 minutes…making progress one day at a time 💪🏻,” she posted on March 13.
A week later, Vonn shared another clip of her doing pull-ups. “First set of pull ups post surgery…slowly getting there!” she celebrated.
The crash occurred on Feb. 8. The following day, she opened up to her fans about the accident.
“Yesterday my Olympic dream did not finish the way I dreamt it would. It wasn’t a story book ending or a fairy tail, it was just life. I dared to dream and had worked so hard to achieve it. Because in Downhill ski racing the difference between a strategic line and a catastrophic injury can be as small as 5 inches,” she wrote on Instagram.
She continued, “While yesterday did not end the way I had hoped, and despite the intense physical pain it caused, I have no regrets. Standing in the starting gate yesterday was an incredible feeling that I will never forget. Knowing I stood there having a chance to win was a victory in and of itself. I also knew that racing was a risk. It always was and always will be an incredibly dangerous sport.”
Fans will have to wait to see if Vonn returns to the slopes. But with her hard work and determination, no one would be surprised if she straps on her skis again.
Read Next: Lindsey Vonn Undergoes Fourth Surgery After Olympic Crash: ‘Ride Was Worth the Fall’
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