On Sunday, Lindsey Vonn courageously took part in the Tofane downhill run in Cortina d’Ampezzo, despite recently suffering a torn ACL.
Vonn [pictured below], who had come out of a five-year retirement to compete in her fifth Games, was looking to win her third Olympic medal.
However, her journey at the Milano-Cortina event came to an end sooner than she would have hoped.
The 41-year-old was looking to become the oldest athlete to win a medal in the downhill event. Unfortunately for the American star, her dreams were ended when she crashed 12 seconds into her run.
The American has since undergone surgery after suffering a broken leg, and numerous athletes have sent messages of support.
Carlos Alcaraz’s message to Lindsey Vonn
Carlos Alcaraz, the ATP number one, posted a short message on his Instagram story in support of the 41-year-old downhill skier.
The Spaniard said: “We’re thinking of you Lindsey Vonn!”
It is perhaps unsurprising to see Carlos Alcaraz commenting on such an issue. Since making his debut on the ATP Tour in 2020, the Spaniard has demonstrated that he is one of the most compassionate and relatable figures on the professional tennis circuit.
As an example, Alcaraz sent a heartfelt message to Jannik Sinner after the Italian was forced to retire from the 2025 Cincinnati Open final due to illness.
He said: “I’m so sorry for Jannik!
“Nobody likes to win because their opponent retires, especially in a final like this. Wishing you a speedy recovery!”
Vonn’s competitor comments on her crash
Norwegian skier Kajsa Vickhoff Lie, who finished seventh, revealed why Vonn crashed on Sunday.
As reported by The Guardian, she said: “It is a critical section, because it’s in the beginning, and you really need a lot of speed coming out of it.
“It’s super flat after it, so the goal is to be as close to that gate as possible. She really nailed the turn, but she was too close to it, so she was hooked into it.
“But that’s how it is with the Olympics – you really want to be at the limit, and she was a little bit over the limit.”
Breezy Johnson, Vonn’s compatriot, won the downhill gold medal after posting a time of 1min 36.10sec, fending off Germany’s Emma Aicher
As for Vonn, her career as an Olympic downhill skier is likely over. Despite the crash, the American can take pride in her efforts and reflect positively on a career in which she won three Olympic medals – including one gold medal.
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