Lindsey Vonn crash 2026: Airlifted from Olympic downhill after early fall in Cortina

Lindsey Vonn’s Olympic downhill bid ended abruptly Sunday, February 8, 2026, when she crashed just seconds into her run in Cortina d’Ampezzo and was evacuated by helicopter for medical evaluation. Her condition has not been publicly detailed beyond the fact that she is being assessed, leaving questions about whether she can continue at these Games.

The crash unfolded in the opening section of the course, before the race’s key technical features, and it immediately shifted the tone of the women’s downhill—an event that later produced a breakthrough gold for teammate Breezy Johnson.

What happened in Vonn’s Olympic downhill crash

Vonn appeared to clip a gate early, lost her line, and went down hard near the top portion of the run. Medical staff reached her quickly on the slope, and she remained down long enough that the evacuation became a central focus of the broadcast and on-site reaction.

She was strapped to a gurney and flown off the mountain by rescue helicopter. It was the second time in roughly nine days that Vonn has required a helicopter evacuation connected to racing, underscoring how fragile her comeback had become even before Sunday’s fall.

Lindsey Vonn's accident
by u/Ecstatic-Ganache921 in olympics

Video of the crash has circulated widely from the live event coverage, but the most important detail remains what is not yet confirmed publicly: whether the fall caused new structural damage or primarily aggravated an already significant knee injury.

Lindsey Vonn injury: the torn ACL context

Vonn entered the Olympic downhill already managing major left-knee damage from a crash on January 30, 2026, during a World Cup downhill in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. She has said scans confirmed a complete ACL rupture, along with a bone bruise and meniscal injury.

Read More: Lindsey Vonn injury update after Olympic downhill crash and airlift

Despite that, she trained in Cortina and chose to start the Olympic downhill wearing a heavy brace, framing the decision as day-to-day based on swelling, stability, and how the leg responded. That approach drew intense attention because downhill skiing places relentless load on the knees through vibration, compression, and high-speed directional changes.

Sunday’s crash now forces a new round of assessments: any additional ligament or cartilage injury could be decisive, and even a “clean” scan can still leave an athlete too swollen or unstable to race safely.

Is Lindsey Vonn ok? What’s confirmed and what isn’t

As of Sunday evening, February 8, 2026 (ET), the only confirmed status is that Vonn was transported for evaluation after the crash. No official diagnosis, return timeline, or decision about future starts has been publicly announced.

Here’s the cleanest way to separate known facts from open questions:

Until imaging and exams are completed, any claims about fractures, ligament tears beyond the known ACL rupture, or a definitive season-ending call should be treated as unconfirmed.

Did Lindsey Vonn ski today, and how did she do?

Yes—Vonn started the women’s downhill on Sunday, February 8, 2026, but her run ended within seconds because of the crash. She did not record a competitive finish time.

The broader women’s downhill continued after stoppages and additional incidents, and it ended with the U.S. earning a major result: Breezy Johnson won gold with a time of 1:36.10, edging Germany’s Emma Aicher by 0.04 seconds, with Italy’s Sofia Goggia taking bronze. Johnson’s win became the first U.S. medal of the 2026 Winter Games.

What’s next for Vonn’s Olympic schedule

The next steps hinge on two practical questions: (1) whether Sunday’s crash caused new damage, and (2) whether her existing knee injury—already severe—can tolerate another start even if there is no new tear.

In the near term, the signals to watch are straightforward:

• Updates on her ability to bear weight, walk, and move without significant pain

• Imaging results addressing fractures, ligament integrity, and cartilage concerns

• A risk-based decision from the team and medical staff, regardless of personal motivation

Vonn’s comeback has always carried a high-risk, high-reward profile. Sunday’s crash didn’t just threaten one race result—it put the rest of her Olympic plans in doubt until medical clarity arrives.

Sources consulted: Associated Press, Reuters, Olympics.com, The Guardian