Lindsey Vonn Confident of Being 'in a good place' for the upcoming Winter Olympics
Lindsey Vonn underwent a artificial joint fitted to her right knee throughout her break from the sport.
Alpine star Lindsey Vonn has declared she will be "in a good place" for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, on the back of securing a place on the rostrum for the fourth instance in five World Cup competitions.
The 41-year-old, who achieved a milestone by becoming the oldest downhill World Cup winner, finished third in the super-G in Val d'Isere on Sunday. This marked her one hundred and forty-second career World Cup top-three result.
Impressive Performance in the French Alps
Returning to the French Alps resort for the first time in almost a decade, Vonn crossed the line in a time of 1:20.60. She was 0.36 seconds behind winner Sofia Goggia of Italy, with New Zealand's Alice Robinson securing the runner-up spot.
"I was slightly lacking the right line on the first jump," Vonn remarked. "After that, I performed strongly. I'm satisfied with my skiing today, unlike in the super-G in St Moritz, where I was too conservative."
This performance was her second top-three finish at Val d'Isere over the weekend, having also taken third in the downhill on Saturday.
An Incredible Return from Retirement
Vonn officially retired in February 2019 because of persistent injuries. However, she staged a competitive comeback in late 2024 following a partial knee replacement.
With just over six weeks remaining until the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, which are set to run from February 6th to the 22nd, Vonn's performances are highly promising.
She has one gold and two bronze medals from previous Games and is strongly positioned to compete for the United States at the next Olympics.
"In Cortina, I will be fully ready," the athlete confirmed.
Aiming for Further Glory
In addition to her Olympic ambitions, Vonn is also aiming to increase the four overall crystal globes she has won over a career spanning 20 years.
She currently holds a substantial lead at the summit of the overall downhill standings and is ranked fifth in the overall super-G standings.
This current World Cup circuit features a nine more events scheduled before the circuit finale in Norway on 21 March 2026.
