Lindsey Vonn has not ruled out a return to competitive skiing despite suffering severe injuries in a horror crash at the Winter Olympics. Following her emergency surgery for complex leg injuries, Vonn is now focused on her recovery after crashing out of the downhill event in Cortina d’Ampezzo while racing with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

The American skier had come out of retirement with hopes of claiming a second Olympic gold medal and was performing well, leading the World Cup downhill standings prior to the Games. However, a significant crash in her final race before the Olympics at Crans-Montana resulted in her ACL injury, marking the first of two major setbacks for the 41-year-old.

Despite having retired previously in 2019 and undergoing a knee replacement, Vonn remains uncertain about the future of her career. She expressed her desire not to be remembered for this unfortunate incident at the Milan-Cortina Games.

In her own words to Vanity Fair, she stated:

I don’t want people to hang on this crash and be remembered for that. I don’t like to close the door on anything... I could have two kids by then. I could have no kids and want to race again.

Vonn highlighted the difficulty of predicting her future, stating, "It’s hard to tell with this injury. It’s so f***** up."

With only Mikaela Shiffrin having more World Cup victories among women, Vonn’s legacy remains significant. Despite facing criticism for her decision to race while injured, she defended her choice, emphasizing her understanding of her capabilities:

I’m not crazy. I know what I can do and what I can’t do.