Lindsey Vonn Assured of Being 'in prime form' for the upcoming Winter Olympics
The veteran skier had a surgical implant installed in her right knee during her time away from competitive skiing.
American skiing icon Lindsey Vonn has declared she will be "perfectly prepared" for the upcoming Winter Olympics, after claiming a place on the rostrum for the fourth time in five World Cup races.
The veteran athlete, who achieved a milestone by becoming the oldest downhill World Cup winner, finished third in the super-G in Val d'Isere on Sunday. This was her one hundred and forty-second career World Cup top-three result.
Strong Return in Val d'Isere
Racing in the iconic venue for the first occasion in eight years, Vonn crossed the line in a time of one minute 20.60 seconds. She was just over a third of a second behind winner Sofia Goggia of Italy, with New Zealand's Alice Robinson taking second place.
"I was slightly lacking enough direction on the initial jump," Vonn remarked. "From that point on, I skied well. I'm pleased with my performance today, in contrast to in the super-G in St Moritz, where I was overly cautious."
This performance was her second top-three finish at Val d'Isere over the weekend, having also finished third in the downhill on Saturday.
A Remarkable Comeback from Injury
Vonn ended her career in early 2019 due to ongoing knee problems. However, she returned to racing in December 2024 after a partial knee replacement.
With less than two months remaining until the 2026 Winter Games, which are set to run from 6-22 February, Vonn's performances are highly promising.
She has an Olympic gold and two bronze medals from previous Games and is firmly on track to represent the United States at the 2026 Games.
"At the Olympics, I will be fully ready," the athlete confirmed.
Chasing More Titles
Alongside her Olympic ambitions, Vonn is also aiming to increase the four World Cup titles she has accumulated over a professional journey spanning two decades.
She currently holds a substantial lead at the top of the downhill World Cup rankings and is ranked fifth in the super-G World Cup table.
This current World Cup campaign features a nine more events scheduled before the circuit finale in Norway on March 21st, 2026.
