Lindsey Vonn, a celebrated alpine skier for Team USA, experienced a significant setback during the 2026 Winter Olympics women's downhill event. Vonn crashed early in her run, an incident that led to her being airlifted from the course. In contrast, her teammate Breezy Johnson achieved a notable victory, securing the gold medal and Team USA's first medal of the Games in the same discipline.
Context of the Downhill Event
The women's downhill race at the Milan Cortina Olympics was a focal point for Team USA. Heading into the competition, Lindsey Vonn was aiming to cap her career with an Olympic medal. Despite a recent ACL tear, reports indicated she intended to compete. The event, however, was interrupted by Vonn's crash, which occurred approximately 13 seconds into her run. Following the incident, there was a delay of about 30 minutes before the race resumed.
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Lindsey Vonn's Status: Crashed early in her run; airlifted from the course.
Breezy Johnson's Achievement: Won the gold medal in the women's downhill, marking the first medal for the U.S. at these Games.
Event Disruption: The race was temporarily halted due to Vonn's crash.
Circumstances of Vonn's Crash
Eyewitness accounts and video footage describe Lindsey Vonn crashing approximately 13 seconds into her downhill run. Reports suggest her right arm may have made contact with a gate, causing her to lose balance. She subsequently went airborne, spinning to her right before landing hard on the snow. The impact sent her tumbling, and she remained on the slope until medical personnel attended to her. She was then airlifted to a medical facility for further assessment. Prior to this event, Vonn had been in strong form, topping the FIS leaderboard with multiple World Cup wins and podium finishes.
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Johnson's Gold Medal Performance
While Lindsey Vonn's race ended prematurely, Breezy Johnson delivered a winning performance. Johnson secured the gold medal in the women's downhill, a significant achievement for both her and the U.S. Olympic team. Her victory marked the first medal for the United States at the Milan Cortina Games. Johnson acknowledged the circumstances of Vonn's crash, with her post-medal thoughts reportedly including Vonn. One report also indicated that Johnson's gold medal sustained damage.
Broader Olympic Landscape
Beyond the alpine skiing events, the 2026 Winter Olympics encompass a wide range of disciplines. Reports mention other ongoing competitions, including biathlon, where France secured a mixed relay gold. Figure skating events were also underway, with American skaters such as Amber Glenn making their Olympic debut and Ilia Malinin continuing his participation. Team USA held a lead in the figure skating standings entering the final segments of the competition.
Expert Insights and Commentary
"She always goes 110 percent, there's never anything less, so I know she put her whole heart into it." - Breezy Johnson on Lindsey Vonn's approach to skiing. This quote, provided by ESPN, offers a teammate's perspective on Vonn's determination.
Summary of Key Findings
The women's downhill event at the 2026 Winter Olympics was marked by the crash and subsequent airlift of prominent U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn. Despite this unfortunate incident, her teammate Breezy Johnson achieved a significant victory, winning the gold medal and securing the U.S.'s first medal of the Games. The event highlights the inherent risks in high-level alpine skiing and the contrasting fortunes of athletes competing on the global stage.
Sources:
NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/olympics/live-blog/2026-winter-olympics-live-updates-lindsey-vonn-compete-downhill-injury-rcna256599
Context: Provides live updates on the 2026 Winter Olympics, focusing on Lindsey Vonn's participation and crash in the downhill event.
The New York Times (The Athletic): https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/winter-olympics-2026-milano-cortina-live-updates-day-two-schedule-events-scores-results/8s1e189nPz5X/
Context: Offers live updates and analysis from the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, covering various events including the downhill race and Breezy Johnson's gold medal win.
NBC Los Angeles: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/olympics/2026-milan-cortina/live-updates-lindsey-vonn-skiing-figure-skating-snowboarding-day-2/3843216/
Context: Tracks live updates from Day 2 of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, detailing Lindsey Vonn's crash and Breezy Johnson's gold medal performance.
CNN: https://www.cnn.com/sport/live-news/milan-winter-olympics-results-highlights-medals-02-08-26
Context: Provides live news and updates on the Milan Winter Olympics, highlighting the drama in the women's downhill with Lindsey Vonn's crash and Breezy Johnson's win.
NPR: https://www.npr.org/2026/02/08/nx-s1-5705859/lindsey-vonn-olympic-downhill-race-crash
Context: Reports on U.S. ski star Lindsey Vonn's crash during the Olympic downhill race, detailing the circumstances of the incident.
ESPN Singapore: https://www.espn.com.sg/olympics/story//id/47865994/breezy-johnson-wins-olympic-downhill-race-marred-vonn-crash
Context: Covers Breezy Johnson's Olympic downhill gold medal win, noting that the race was impacted by Lindsey Vonn's crash.
Associated Press (AP News): https://apnews.com/live/lindsey-vonn-downhill-winter-olympics-milan-cortina-updates
Context: Offers live updates from the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, focusing on Lindsey Vonn's early crash in the women's downhill event.
USA Today: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2026/02/08/winter-olympics-live-updates-results-today/88569801007/
Context: Provides live updates on the Winter Olympics, including reports on Lindsey Vonn's crash in the women's downhill.
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