Lindsey Vonn Crashes Hard, Airlifted Off Olympic Downhill Course

Under the Italian sky, Lindsey Vonn pushed off down the Tofane downhill course in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Just before the Olympics, during a World Cup competition, she had ruptured her ACL in her left knee amidst her awe-inspiring comeback at age 41. She decided to race in the Olympics anyway. It had the makings of a storybook moment.

But Vonn’s dreams were cut short in Italy. Just seconds after beginning her gold medal bid, Vonn lost control, rotating through the air, landing sideways, and disappearing into a cloud of snow.