CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (Diya TV) — Lindsey Vonn refuses to step aside, even after another devastating injury. The three-time Olympic medalist said Tuesday she ruptured her ACL in a World Cup crash but still plans to compete at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. At 41, Vonn called it likely her final chance at the Games and said she will not let it pass.

“I’m not letting this slip through my fingers,” Vonn said. “As long as there’s a chance, I will try.”

Vonn suffered the injury on Friday while racing in the Alpine Ski World Cup downhill event in Crans-Montana. She lost control after a jump, slammed into a safety net, and favored her left leg. Race officials later airlifted her to a hospital for tests. Doctors confirmed she ruptured her ACL. Despite that, Vonn said the swelling has gone down, and she feels no pain. 

“I know my chances aren’t the same as before the crash,” Vonn told reporters. “But I know there’s still a chance.”

Training runs for the women’s downhill are scheduled for Thursday through Saturday, with the race set for Sunday. Vonn said she expects to be in the starting gate. Her focus remains on the downhill, the event that made her a legend. She did not commit to racing the super-G, which is scheduled for Feb. 12.

“I have to see how it feels,” Vonn said. “If it’s stable and I feel confident, I’ll continue to race.”

Vonn retired in February 2019 after years of physical setbacks. Her career included torn ligaments, broken bones, and repeated knee injuries. In April 2024, she even underwent knee replacement surgery. Despite that history, Vonn announced her comeback in November 2024. 

Before Friday’s crash, Lindsey Vonn ranked first in the women’s downhill standings, leading Emma Aicher by 144 points.

Vonn last competed at the Winter Olympics in 2018 in PyeongChang. She won a bronze medal in the downhill. Her wins also include downhill gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games and a super-G bronze that same year.

At the time of her first retirement, Vonn stood as the most successful woman in alpine skiing history. She earned 82 World Cup victories, a record later broken by fellow American Mikaela Shiffrin. Vonn dominated the sport from 2008 through 2012, winning three straight overall World Cup titles during those years.

Vonn said her longtime coach and mentor, Erich Sailer, would have supported her decision to continue racing; Sailer died last year at age 99.

“He would say, ‘It’s only 90 seconds,’” Vonn said. “‘What’s 90 seconds in a lifetime?’”

If Vonn competes in Milan Cortina, she will add another chapter to her career. She said she will race as long as her body allows it.