Ski legend Lindsey Vonn’s leg is BROKEN after brave Olympic comeback ended in horror crash and airlift to hospital
Lindsey Vonn suffered a broken leg in the horrific crash that shattered her Olympic dreams on Sunday.
The 41-year-old driver, who was sent to the track after flipping over at Cortina after breaking the flag just 13 seconds into his downhill run, was airlifted to the hospital in Treviso, where he underwent surgery on his left leg.
In the statement made by the hospital, it was said: ‘In the afternoon, he was taken to orthopedic surgery to stabilize the fracture in his left leg.’
It later became clear that he was transferred to intensive care for greater privacy rather than any medical necessity. The US team said the 2010 gold medalist was ‘stable’.
Vonn was heard screaming in pain after the crash, which came just nine days after she ruptured the cruciate ligaments in her left knee during a warm-up event in Switzerland. He continued to surprise by announcing his intention to compete with Italy and threatened with a tremendous result by finishing third fastest in final practice.
But his accident sadly closed the curtain on his fifth appearance at the Games. Vonn has yet to comment.
Team USA shares an update on Lindsey Vonn’s condition following her devastating accident
Former Olympic champion crashed in the women’s downhill final on Sunday
After the early finish, Vonn was taken off the slope by helicopter and taken to a local hospital.
Vonn quickly went over a hill and hit one of the plastic signs on the side of the track before hitting the ground. When a cloud of gunpowder engulfed the American, his right leg appeared to hit the ground first. Vonn then rolled forward again and appeared to hit her shoulder on the ground before coming to a halt on the slope.
The Cortina crowd fell silent when medical teams arrived to treat Vonn, who was later flown down from the mountain.
Serious concerns arose when Vonn, whose skis were not separated from her boots, was seen grimacing in pain while lying on her back in the snow. The American was also heard crying in pain as paramedics laid him on a stretcher.
About six hours after the horrific incident, the US Ski and Snowboard Team also shared an update on Vonn’s condition.
‘Update: Lindsey Vonn is injured but is in a stable condition and is in safe hands with a team of American and Italian doctors,’ a spokesperson said.
Vonn’s horrified family watched in shock from the bottom of the hill. His sister, Karin Kildow, gave an emotional account of the devastating scenes.
“I mean it was definitely the last thing we wanted to see and it happened fast and when it happens you immediately hope he’s okay,” Kildow told NBC’s USA Today.
‘And it was scary because when you start seeing stretchers being lifted, that’s not a good sign. But he really… showed great courage and put it all on the line. So it’s really hard to see, but we really hope it’s okay.
American is carried into the back of an ambulance after a run
Vonn, who tore her anterior cruciate ligament just before the Winter Olympics, appeared to lose control as she soared over a jump just 13 seconds into her run.
‘All their surgeons, PT staff and doctors are here, so I’m sure they’ll give us a report and we’ll meet him at whatever hospital he’s at.’
Vonn defied the impossible by returning to competition after tearing her ACL ahead of the Games, completing multiple workouts in preparation for Sunday’s event.
As concerns grew about whether the 2010 Olympic champion was taking risks heading into the competition – she is undergoing reconstruction in her right knee in 2024 and tore her ACL before the tournament – Vonn had decided to compete in Sunday’s downhill final.
During Friday’s practice, he clocked a time 1.39 seconds off the fastest run.
The American, who has won 84 World Cups in numerous alpine ski events during his glittering career, improved on that on Saturday, posting a time of one minute and 38 seconds, 37 seconds clear of teammate Breezy Johnson, who took the gold on Sunday.
As Vonn left the gates on Sunday, her coach could be heard shouting, “Keep attacking, keep pushing.”
The downhill race was later suspended, with other competitors taking off their skis at the top of the track while they waited for Vonn to be evacuated.
