Lindsey Vonn has 'no regrets' despite pain of Olympic crash, tibia fracture
· Yahoo Sports
CORTINA d'AMPEZZO, Italy ― Lindsey Vonn has "no regrets," even after a scary crash left her with a complex tibia fracture that will require multiple surgeries.
In a lengthy Instagram post, her first comments since the crash in Sunday's Olympic downhill, Vonn said just making it to the starting gate was a victory. One of the greatest skiers in history, Vonn was forced to retire in 2019 because of the physical toll of multiple injuries.
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A partial replacement of her right knee in April 2024 paved the way for Vonn's comeback.
"While yesterday did not end the way I had hoped, and despite the intense physical pain it caused, I have no regrets," she wrote. "Standing in the starting gate yesterday was an incredible feeling that I will never forget. Knowing I stood there having a chance to win was a victory in and of itself. I also knew that racing was a risk. It always was and always will be an incredibly dangerous sport."
Vonn's comeback inspired millions. She is 41 years old and is racing against younger women, some of whom are half her age. But she more than held her own, dominating the speed races this season like she did a decade ago.
Vonn was on the podium in all five downhill races, winning two of them, and was leading the downhill season standings. She also was on the podium in two of her first three super-G races, and was fourth in the third.
But Vonn crashed during the final World Cup downhill before the Milano Cortina Olympics, suffering a torn ACL, bone bruising and meniscus damage in her left knee. Still, she was determined to race at the Olympics.
She did intensive physical therapy and pool workouts. She wore a brace. She completed two training runs, posting the third-fastest time in the second run.
But she crashed about 13 seconds into the downhill race, ending her Olympic dreams.
"Similar to ski racing, we take risks in life. We dream. We love. We jump. And sometimes we fall. Sometimes our hearts are broken. Sometimes we don’t achieve the dreams we know we could have. But that is the also the beauty of life; we can try. I tried. I dreamt. I jumped," Vonn wrote. "I hope if you take away anything from my journey it’s that you all have the courage to dare greatly.
"Life is too short not to take chances on yourself. Because the only failure in life is not trying."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lindsey Vonn has 'no regrets' after painful Olympics crash breaks tibia