Before this year’s Winter Olympics began, Lindsey Vonn tore her anterior cruciate ligament. She tried to compete regardless, but at the first event in Italy, the American skier suffered a terrible accident. It was a complicated leg fracture that required multiple surgeries.
Last updated: 26/03/26 23:18
American Lindsey Vonn does not rule out a return
Lindsey Vonn’s Winter Olympics earlier this year came to an early end after a disturbing accident left her with severe leg damage.
Before the Olympics began, Vonn tore her anterior cruciate ligament. She still tried to compete, but in the first event in Italy, the American skier suffered a terrible accident.
It was a complicated leg fracture that required multiple surgeries.
At the age of 41, the former Olympic gold medalist’s career appeared to be over.
However, Vonn has not ruled out a return to the sport.
“I don’t like to close the door on anything because you never know what’s going to happen,” Vonn told Vanity Fair. “It’s difficult to judge this injury.
“I really feel that was a horrible last run to end my career.
“I only made it by 13 seconds, but they had a really good 13 seconds.”
The American previously revealed he had suffered a compound tibia fracture, fibular head fracture and tibial plateau fracture, which caused compartment syndrome.
Lindsey Vonn fell at the Winter Olympics and severely broke her leg. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)
The five-time Olympian credits her surgeon with avoiding the need for amputation.
“The reason it was so complicated was because I had compartment syndrome, which is when there’s a major trauma to one part of the body and there’s so much blood that it gets blocked,” Vonn previously said.
“It basically crushes everything in the compartment and all the muscles, nerves and tendons die.
“Dr. Tom Hackett saved my leg. He saved me by opening both sides of my leg and basically cutting it open and letting me breathe.
“I always say that everything happens for a reason. If I hadn’t torn my ACL, Tom wouldn’t have been there and he wouldn’t have been able to save my leg.”
