CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — A week after crashing and tearing the most important knee ligament, Alpine skiing’s biggest superstar made it down her first training run at the famed Olympia delle Tofane here on Friday with no apparent issues other than a few slips off the course.
Under a bright midday sun, Lindsey Vonn cruised down the 1.6-mile track in 1 minute, 40.33 seconds. That was 1.39 seconds off the lead in 11th place at the time of this writing. Other racers were still to run.
Vonn skied aggressively and went off course in a couple of instances, nearly missing gates, but the time barely mattered. Crossing the finish line did.
She’s just a week removed from announcing a torn ACL in her left knee after a crash in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Despite an injury that has sidelined countless skiers for a year or more, Vonn has said she is determined to be one of the few that manages to ski through the injury that can sap the joint of its much-needed stability.
The irrepressible 41-year-old, who has come out retirement to chase a second downhill gold medal, posted a video Thursday of squatting a heavy barbell at a training gym. Her right knee was partially replaced in 2024, sparking the comeback.
Fellow American Jacqueline Wiles led the field as of this writing, skiing the run in 1:38.94.
The women’s downhill is scheduled for Sunday. Vonn has said she will be in the starting gate.
At the end of Friday’s training run, Vonn dapped up U.S. teammate Breezy Johnson, who had gone just before her and was waiting in the finish area. Another day at the office.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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