A ski accident sent shockwaves through the Olympic Games after American skiing legend Lindsey Vonn suffered a serious leg injury during her downhill run in Italy. Vonn underwent surgery Sunday to stabilize a fracture in her left leg after losing control just seconds into the race. Officials confirmed the injury occurred during the women’s alpine skiing downhill event at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games.
According to hospital officials in Treviso, Vonn was “treated by a multidisciplinary team” following the crash. After the fall, medical crews rushed to her aid as she writhed in pain on the course. A helicopter transported her off the mountain to a clinic in Cortina before doctors transferred her to Ca’Foncello hospital for surgery. The U.S. Ski Team said Vonn was “in stable condition and in good hands with a team of American and Italian physicians.”
Vonn had entered the race despite a ruptured ACL, determined to contend for an Olympic medal. Her crash occurred in the first sector of the course, ending her run almost immediately. U.S. Ski and Snowboard chief of sport Anouk Patty said, “She’ll be OK, but it’s going to be a bit of a process.” Patty added, “This sport’s brutal and people need to remember when they’re watching (that) these athletes are throwing themselves down a mountain and going really, really fast.”
Teammate Breezy Johnson captured gold in the event, earning Team USA’s first medal of the Games. Reflecting on the crash, Johnson said, “I can’t imagine the pain that she’s going through and it’s not the physical pain — we can deal with physical pain — but the emotional pain is something else.”
International Ski and Snowboard Federation president Johan Eliasch called the incident “tragic, but it’s ski racing,” while thanking Vonn for elevating the sport on the Olympic stage.
