Vonn not emotionally ready to decide on future
Lindsey Vonn opens up about the pain, frustration and uncertainty that followed her crash at the Olympics. (2:40) NEW YORK — Lindsey Vonn is still recovering physically and emotionally from her frightening crash at the Winter Olympics. I may never race again and that would be completely fine, but I'm not in a position emotionally to make that decision at this point." A return to retirement was an option after a comeback season Vonn thinks she would have returned to retirement had she been able to complete a comeback season that rivaled one of the best of her career.
The winner of three Olympic medals, including a downhill gold in 2010, crashed just 13 seconds into the race and suffered a complex tibia fracture, shocking a star-studded crowd and ending a season in which she led the World Cup downhill standings and hadn't finished worse than fourth in any race. "It's a much different injury in that way, again, like the severity of the injury and understanding that I could have lost my leg and how bad things were," Vonn said.
"Once I get my ACL fixed, then that's another six months, so I have at least I would say a year and a half ahead of me before I could really be back to 100%, even just training in the gym." Vonn knows there could be risks in a return, and family members don't want her to take them. Tell me I can't and I'll prove you wrong." A risk Vonn has 'always taken happily,' but she doesn't 'want a do-over' Vonn has never shied from taking chances — she raced in the Olympics a little more than a week after tearing her ACL — no matter how they turned out.
"Downhill skiing is one of the most dangerous sports in the world, and that's a risk that I've always taken happily, and this is the result, and I don't regret it," said Vonn, who noted she had done all she could to be fully prepped for the race. "I'm still, like I said, in survival mode that I just want to get through this phase and be able to assess where I am in my life," said Vonn, whose 84 World Cup wins are second-most among women, trailing only teammate Mikaela Shiffrin (110).
Analysis: Why This Matters
Updates around Lindsey Vonn carry weight: contracts, rosters, and momentum all hinge on stories like this.
Key Takeaways
- So if Vonn, 41, races again — and she's not ready to make that decision — a return is at least a year and a half away, she told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday.
- She ended a six-year absence from the sport largely to race at Cortina, Italy, one of her favorite courses, and the venue for the Milan Cortina Games.
- It's not even been in the universe of pain with this injury as what I've had before." Vonn is making progress in and out of the gym, though not as quickly as she would like.
Expect more reactions from coaches, players, and analysts as the story unfolds.
Source: ESPN Sports