Lindsey Vonn Posts Third-Fastest Training Time Before Olympic Downhill

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, ITALY — In a display of extraordinary courage and determination that has captivated the skiing world, 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn posted the third-fastest time in Olympic women's downhill training on Thursday, just nine days after a crash that left her with a torn ACL and raised serious questions about whether she could compete at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

Vonn, the legendary American skier who has nothing left to prove in her sport, clocked 1:31.49 on the treacherous Olympia delle Tofane course, finishing just 0.37 seconds behind teammate Breezy Johnson's top time of 1:31.12. Switzerland's Corinne Suter was second at 1:31.28, making it a tight race among the medal favorites heading into Saturday's competition.

⛷️Training Run Results: Top 10

The performance silenced doubters who questioned whether Vonn should even attempt to race after her January 28 crash during a training run in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Medical imaging confirmed a complete tear of her right anterior cruciate ligament—an injury that would sideline most athletes for 6-9 months of recovery and rehabilitation.

🏥Nine Days from Crash to Comeback

Vonn's crash on January 28 was spectacular and terrifying. At over 80 miles per hour, she caught an edge on a compression section, was launched into the air, and landed hard on her right side before careening through two safety gates. She slid more than 100 meters before coming to a stop.

"I knew immediately something was wrong. But I also knew I had one last race in me. I didn't come this far to give up now. This is my last Olympics. I'm going to ski."

Medical staff on site immediately recognized the severity of the injury. An MRI the following day in Munich confirmed the ACL tear, along with significant bone bruising and a partial tear of the lateral meniscus. Orthopedic surgeons advised her that racing would risk permanent damage to her knee and could end her ability to walk normally.

"I've had eight knee surgeries in my career," Vonn said in a press conference Wednesday. "I know what this feels like. I know the risks. But I also know my body better than anyone. This is my decision, and I'm making it with full knowledge of what could happen."

🔬Cutting-Edge Medical Support

What has allowed Vonn to even contemplate racing is a combination of cutting-edge sports medicine, a custom knee brace designed by biomechanical engineers, and her own legendary pain tolerance. The U.S. Ski Team's medical staff has been working around the clock to support her unprecedented comeback attempt.

Dr. William Sterett, one of the orthopedic surgeons consulting on Vonn's case, noted that while the approach is highly unconventional, Vonn's unique physiology and mental fortitude make this possible. "She has extraordinary proprioception—the body's ability to sense its position in space. That's what allows her to ski with a compromised ACL. It's not something we'd recommend for anyone else."

🎯Analysis: Near-Perfect Training Run

Watching Vonn's training run, you would never know she was skiing on a completely torn ACL. Her line was aggressive and precise, her technique as flawless as it's been at any point in her storied career. She attacked the steeps, carried speed through the flats, and nailed the critical compression sections where she had crashed nine days earlier.

"That was vintage Lindsey," said U.S. Ski Team head coach Paul Kristofic. "Fearless, technically perfect, and fast. If I didn't know about the injury, I wouldn't have guessed anything was wrong. She's skiing as well as anyone in the world right now."

The only area where Vonn appeared tentative was in the middle section's high-speed turns, where lateral forces on the knee are most intense. She took a slightly wider line through those gates, sacrificing a few hundredths of a second to protect the injury. Even with that conservative approach, she was still third-fastest overall.

🤝Team USA's 1-2 Training Performance

The training session was a triumph for Team USA, with Breezy Johnson posting the fastest time and Vonn coming in third. Johnson, 28, is racing in her first Olympics and has emerged as one of the world's best downhillers over the past two seasons.

"Having Lindsey here is incredible," Johnson said after her run. "She's my hero. She's everyone's hero. To share this moment with her, to be teammates at the Olympics—it's a dream. And seeing her ski like that today, after everything she's been through? That's what legends are made of."

The American downhill team has been building momentum throughout the season. With Johnson's speed, Vonn's experience, and strong performances from Isabella Wright and Keely Cashman, Team USA enters Saturday's race as a legitimate threat for multiple medals.

🏆Medal Favorites for Saturday's Race

While the training times don't always predict race results, they provide important insight into who has the speed and confidence to contend for medals. Based on Thursday's performance, here's how the field shapes up:

The Cortina course is one of the most technically demanding on the World Cup circuit. At 2,808 meters long with a vertical drop of 829 meters, it features steep pitches, high-speed sections, and technical passages that reward both power and precision. Weather conditions will also play a crucial role—Saturday's forecast calls for clear skies and cold temperatures, which should produce fast, consistent snow conditions.

💭The Story Beyond the Time Sheet

Whether Vonn medals on Saturday is almost secondary to what she has already accomplished. At 41 years old, racing at her fifth Olympics, on a torn ACL just nine days after a horrific crash, she has once again redefined what's possible in alpine skiing.

"This isn't about proving anything to anyone," Vonn explained. "I know what I've accomplished in my career. This is about proving something to myself—that I can face my fears, that I can push through pain, that I can compete at the highest level even when the odds are against me. That's what sport is really about."

The skiing world has watched in awe as Vonn has navigated retirement, comeback, injury, and now this improbable Olympic run. She first announced her retirement in 2019 after chronic knee injuries made it impossible to continue. She came back in 2024, determined to race one more time at a major championship. Now, here she is in Cortina, racing on a destroyed knee, posting world-class times.

⚡Saturday's Race: What's at Stake

The women's downhill is scheduled for Saturday, February 8, at 11:00 AM local time (5:00 AM EST). The race will be broadcast live globally, with millions expected to tune in to watch Vonn's final Olympic downhill.

For Vonn, a medal would cement her legacy as the greatest female downhiller of all time. But even finishing the race would be a victory that transcends sport. It would be a testament to human resilience, determination, and the refusal to accept limitations.

"Win, lose, crash, whatever happens—I'm grateful to be here," Vonn said, her voice cracking with emotion. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to race one more time at the Olympics. I'm grateful for my teammates, my coaches, my medical team, everyone who believed in me. And I'm grateful for this knee brace, because without it, I wouldn't be standing here."