Lindsey Vonn continues to defy time, qualifying for Winter Olympics
Lately, Lindsey Vonn has been receiving one surprise after another. And the announcement that the 41-year-old ski queen has qualified for the Milan Cortina Olympics in February is not the last one.
It could have been post on Instagram He made it clear that this would be the last time.
“I am honored to represent my country once again at my 5th and final Olympics!” Vonn said.
Vonn’s remarkable and inspiring comeback from injuries and a seven-year hiatus from high-level competitive skiing has added an irresistible storyline to the narrative of the U.S. team. His adventure will culminate in the mountains of northern Italy just two months from now, making it must-see television and social media videos.
The last two weeks have returned Vonn to the international stage and to the podium, where she has been in four of her first five races this season. This includes Switzerland’s St. Louis on December 12th. Including a spectacular victory on the descent in St. Moritz.
This was his first World Cup victory since 2018. And now it’s official that Vonn will compete in her fifth Olympics, where she won gold in the downhill, bronze in the super-G at the 2010 Games in Vancouver, and bronze in the downhill at the 2018 Games in PyeongChang.
Much of the consternation is based on his age. Vonn’s St. Her victory in St. Moritz made her the oldest woman to win a World Cup race by seven years. Italian Federica Brignone broke a record a year ago by winning 10 races at the age of 34.
He also became the first person to win the World Cup. Titanium implants were placed in his right knee. And seven years after retiring, he will become the first all-around athlete to lead the U.S. alpine ski team.
In a moving World Series column on February 10, 2019, The Times’ Helene Elliott wrote what was essentially a send-off for Vonn: “She went all the way, because it’s the only way.” Lindsey Vonn He knew how to ski. He was injured and beaten on the way to the starting gate for the last race of his career on Sunday, he was in pain everywhere and his right eye was blackened due to the accident he had experienced during a super giant slalom race earlier in the week. World Championship. Ligaments were torn and bones were sometimes broken, but his competitiveness was never diminished, never collapsed, never compromised.”
2026 is upon us and Vonn is back and back strong, still uncompromising in her competitive edge. He hasn’t officially qualified for the Olympics in the super-G category, but he’s the fastest American and No. 3 in the world, so you can count on that as his next headliner.
“Lindsey qualifying for the 2026 Olympic team is a testament to her resilience and dedication and the outstanding results she achieved at the World Cup this season,” Sophie Goldschmidt, president and CEO of US Ski & Snowboard, said in a statement. “He has proven once again that elite performance is not just about past success, it is about rising to the occasion from race to race.
“We are so excited to cheer her on at the Olympics.”
