It’s a comeback story for the ages.
An undeterred Lindsey Vonn, 41, is going for gold in downhill skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics this weekend.
Competing with a torn ACL, the athlete successfully completed a training run Friday ahead of the race on Sunday.
Vonn has won three Olympic medals throughout her career, including a gold medal in the alpine skiing women’s downhill event at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010. The Milano Cortina Olympics will be Vonn’s fifth — and final — appearance as a competitor the Games.
“Nothing makes me happier. No one would have believed I would be here … but I made it! I’m here. I’m smiling and no matter what, I know how lucky I am. I’m not going to waste this chance,” Vonn wrote on Instagram post today, alongside a selfie on the slopes.
As the world cheers her on, here’s a look back at some of Vonn’s most inspiring quotes from FN’s 2022 cover story (when she was retired).
On her intense work ethic:
“The reason why I was fearless is that I always felt prepared. I put in the work in the gym … and [studied] the courses. I knew as much as there was to know about the task at hand.”
Being open about her mental health battles:
“When I first started talking about it [in 2012], I felt a huge relief. A lot of people who were battling depression told me they were so thankful for the conversation that I started, but it’s not like it is now.”
Lindsey Vonn during the Women’s Downhill training on day zero of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Feb. 6
Getty Images
Measuring success as an athlete vs. an entrepreneur:
“I’m used to seeing results from my hard work right away. In a race, you always know where you stack up. In the business world, it’s definitely not the case. That’s been one of the harder things for me transitioning into this next chapter is the benchmarks. I try to look at long-term goals and how am I setting myself up for the future. But with some of the companies I invest in, I may not see a paycheck for a long time.”
The physical risk of skiing:
“Skiing is similar to football where nothing is guaranteed. Your body is taking a huge toll every time you’re out on the field of play.”
Advice for young athletes:
“The main thing is stay focused on your job, which is, you know, to play well, but also be smart about how you approach it. The paychecks won’t always be there. That’s the thing about being a professional athlete, a lot of people think that when you have success, it’s always going to be there. And that’s never the case, no matter who you are — except for maybe Tom Brady.”
