Lindsey Vonn was airlifted off the course on Sunday, February 8, after crashing early in the women’s downhill final at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, bringing an abrupt halt to her highly anticipated return to Olympic competition.
Per Forbes, the crash occurred roughly 13 seconds into Vonn’s run at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Coming off an early jump, her pole clipped a gate mid-air, pulling her off balance and sending her hard onto the snow.
Race officials immediately stopped the event as medical personnel attended to Vonn on the course. After several minutes of evaluation, she was transported from the venue by helicopter.
Cameras captured the tense scene as officials worked around her. Vonn’s sister, Karin Kildow, addressed the incident during the broadcast. “That definitely was the last thing we wanted to see,” she said. “It happened quick. When that happens, you’re just immediately hoping she’s OK.”
The downhill was supposed to mark the centerpiece of Vonn’s Olympic schedule in Cortina. She had also been entered in the team combined and super-G events, scheduled for February 10 and February 12. Following the crash, her availability for the remaining races has not been confirmed.
The situation carried added weight given what Vonn had already been dealing with physically. Just nine days earlier, she had suffered a complete tear of her ACL. Despite the injury, Vonn and her medical team decided to continue pursuing her Olympic goal after extensive testing and monitoring.
As part of Olympic requirements, Vonn successfully completed two downhill training runs prior to Sunday’s final, including one on Saturday that cleared her to start the race.
Vonn entered the Milan Cortina Games hoping to add one more Olympic appearance after returning from retirement ahead of the 2024–25 season. Across four previous Olympics, she has won three medals, including gold in downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Games and bronze in downhill and super-G.
Her return to elite racing followed knee replacement surgery in 2024 and a steady climb back through World Cup competition, where she has posted multiple victories this season.
Following Sunday’s crash, officials have not released further medical details. No official announcement has been made regarding whether Vonn will be able to compete again at the Milano Cortina Games.