Lindsey Vonn Returns to Skiing for 2026 Winter Olympics

Lindsey Vonn, one of the most decorated female skiers in history, has made a shocking announcement by deciding to come out of retirement and compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics. At 40 years old, Vonn last competed at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games before announcing her retirement in 2019 due to injuries sustained throughout her career, including broken arms and legs, concussions, and torn knee ligaments. She has been training in recent months, leading to speculation about a potential return.

Vonn is a three-time Olympic medalist, having won gold in the downhill and bronze in the super-G at the 2010 Vancouver Games and bronze in the downhill at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. She is also a four-time overall World Cup champion and eight-time world championships medalist. Her 82 World Cup race victories stood as the most for any female skier until being eclipsed by fellow American Mikaela Shiffrin, who is now at 97 career wins, the most of any Alpine skier in history.

Vonn expressed her excitement about returning to the sport, stating, “Getting back to skiing without pain has been an incredible journey.” She plans to continue sharing her knowledge of the sport with the American roster, returning to the team effective immediately.