One of the most remarkable comebacks in Olympic history is now a reality. Eight years after her last Olympic appearance, skier Lindsey Vonn will once again represent the United States at the Milan/Cortina Games in February.
Vonn retired in 2019 and pursued a series of careers outside of skiing. But as she watched her younger peers skiing in Beijing in 2022, the old competitive spark reignited. A knee replacement in 2024 gave her the strength and flexibility to start a comeback, which she validated by winning her first World Cup race in nearly six years in St. Moritz in December. The win gave her the points she needed to qualify for the U.S. team, which announced its selections Tuesday morning.
advertise
“Lindsay’s qualification to make the 2026 Olympic team is a testament to her resilience and dedication, as well as her strong results at the World Cup this season,” US Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt said in a statement to The Athletic. “She has proven once again that elite performance is not just about past success, but about rising to the occasion game after game. We are excited to cheer her on at the Olympics.”
Vonn retired with 82 World Cup wins, the most in women’s history, although Mikaela Shiffrin has since surpassed her. She won three Olympic medals: gold in the downhill in Vancouver, bronze in Vancouver (super-G) and Pingchang (downhill).
A knee replacement provided the impetus for her comeback, but it was the location of the 2026 Olympics – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy – that inspired her comeback. Warne won 12 World Cup games at Cortina and believes the stadium has home advantage.
“If the Olympics hadn’t been held in Cortina, I don’t think I would have attempted this comeback,” Vonn said in October. “If it had been anywhere else, I might have said it wasn’t worth it. But for me, there’s something special about Cortina that always brings me back, and brings me back for the last time.”
The 2026 Winter Olympics will begin on February 6, with Vonn’s competition beginning on February 8.
