Prominent U.S. Olympian Airlifted After Nasty Crash

Lindsey Vonn, a prominent American alpine skier, experienced a nasty crash during the women’s downhill event at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on Sunday morning.

Vonn, aged 41 and wearing bib number 13, started in the 13th position among 36 competitors. Approximately 13 seconds into her run, she clipped a gate with her right shoulder, lost balance, and fell.

She then tumbled down the slope, coming to a stop after hitting her head and other parts of her body on the snow. Medical personnel attended to her on the course for about 10 to 15 minutes while the race was halted.

Vonn was heard screaming in pain during the fall and treatment. She was then airlifted by helicopter to Codivilla Hospital in Cortina for further evaluation.

“That was definitely the last thing we wanted to see. It happened quick. So, when that happens, you’re just immediately hoping she’s OK,” Vonn;s sister, Karin Kildow, told NBC News after the incident.

Exact details on Vonn’s injuries have not been released as of this report.

The AP's Jacquelyn Martin has the photo that shows the split-second before Lindsey Vonn's crash: her right ski pole clips the gate at the crest of the jump, which flung her off balance and induced the crash. pic.twitter.com/RKjQ4H4lKg

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) February 8, 2026

Sunday’s nasty crash came shortly after Vonn had sustained a complete rupture of her left ACL during a World Cup downhill race late last month. Despite the injury, she chose to compete in the Olympics with the aid of a knee brace, having completed training runs in the days leading up to the event. Vonn had undergone partial knee replacement surgery in prior years, including titanium reinforcement in her right knee.

The accomplished skier had been scheduled to participate in three events at the 2026 Olympics: the women’s downhill on February 8, the women’s super-G on February 12, and the new team combined competition later in the Games. Prior to the Olympics, Vonn had performed consistently in the 2024-25 World Cup season, securing points in downhill and super-G races, which qualified her for the U.S. team.

Vonn’s Olympic history spans five Games, including her debut at age 17 in Salt Lake City 2002, followed by Turin 2006, Vancouver 2010, PyeongChang 2018, and now Milano Cortina 2026. She has earned three Olympic medals, including bronze in super-G at Vancouver 2010, and bronze in downhill at PyeongChang 2018.

Also at Vancouver in 2010, Vonn became the first American to win gold in downhill skiing.

Beyond the Olympics, Vonn holds records with 82 World Cup victories, 20 World Cup titles (including four overall championships in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012), and eight World Championship medals.

RELATED: Team USA Olympic Skier Trashes Country Over ICE Raids: ‘Mixed Emotions’