Lindsey Vonn Undergoes 3rd Surgery After Olympic Crash

Lindsey Vonn underwent a third surgery on Thursday following a high-speed crash during the women’s downhill competition at the Winter Olympics in Milan on Sunday, the American alpine ski racer announced via Instagram. The 41-year-old Vonn, a three-time Olympic medalist, described her definition of success as having “completely different meaning” than it did days prior.

“I had my 3rd surgery today and it was successful,” Vonn wrote in the post, accompanied by photos of herself in a hospital bed with her left leg in an external fixator. “Success today has a completely different meaning than it did a few days ago. I’m making progress and while We see slow, I recognize I’ll be ok.”

The crash occurred just 13 seconds into her run, when Vonn caught a gate with her right arm, sending her tumbling down the slope. She was airlifted approximately 80 miles to a hospital in Treviso, Italy, where she was initially diagnosed with a complex tibial fracture, described as stable but requiring multiple surgeries, according to a statement released by the hospital to the Associated Press.

Vonn’s participation in the Games was already considered remarkable, coming just weeks after she ruptured her ACL on January 30th during a World Cup event in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Despite the injury, she chose to compete, stating, “My head is high. I’m standing tall and I’m gonna do my best.” She had successfully completed two training runs before Sunday’s race.

Following the crash, Vonn maintained she had no regrets about her decision to compete, asserting that her previous injuries, including the ACL tear, were not a factor in the accident. “My ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever,” she said.

Vonn, who made her Olympic debut in 2002 at the age of 17, has a long history of overcoming physical challenges throughout her career, including numerous knee injuries and surgeries. She has won four World Cup overall championships (2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012) and holds 84 World Cup race victories. She is the oldest Alpine skier to compete at a Winter Olympics.

In her Instagram post, Vonn expressed gratitude to the medical staff, friends, family, and fans for their support, and congratulated her teammates who are continuing to compete in the Games. Recovery from a tibial fracture is expected to be lengthy, potentially taking months and requiring further surgical intervention. The ACL injury could also extend the rehabilitation period, according to medical experts.