While Vonn was being evacuated, teammate Breezy Johnson delivered the best run of the day to claim the gold medal. The 30-year-old became only the second American woman to win an Olympic downhill, matching Vonn’s achievement from 16 years ago. Johnson edged Germany’s Emma Aicher, who earned silver, and Italy’s Sofia Goggia, who secured bronze on home snow. The medal ceremony proceeded once race officials confirmed the course was clear and Vonn had been transported for treatment.
The emotional contrast was evident in the grandstands. Vonn’s father, Alan Kildow, kept his head down while medics worked on his daughter. Rapper Snoop Dogg, invited as a guest of organizers, watched in silence along with thousands of spectators who had anticipated Vonn’s much-publicized return to Olympic speed racing.
International Ski and Snowboard Federation president Johan Eliasch addressed the incident shortly after results became official. He noted that high-speed alpine racing carries inherent risk and thanked Vonn for the global attention her participation brought to the sport. His remarks echoed broader sentiment throughout the finish area, where athletes and coaches balanced concern for Vonn with celebration of Johnson’s victory.
Vonn arrived in Cortina leading the World Cup downhill standings, an unexpected position after she ended a five-year retirement last season. Her resurgence was aided by strong results on North American slopes and a record 12 career World Cup victories on Cortina’s Olympia delle Tofane course, a track that earned her the nickname “Queen of Cortina.” The familiarity, combined with clear, sunny conditions during training runs, fueled optimism that she could contend despite the fresh knee injury.
Historical precedent also favored her decision to start. In 2006, two days before the Turin Games opened, Vonn crashed heavily in downhill training, spent a night in the hospital and still competed in all four events, finishing as high as seventh in the super-G. That resilience became a hallmark of her career, which includes 82 World Cup wins, four overall titles and three Olympic medals.
This latest crash, however, raises questions about whether Sunday marked the final chapter of Vonn’s storied tenure. At 41, she is already the oldest woman to race Olympic downhill, and the cumulative damage to both knees has required multiple surgeries. According to the International Olympic Committee, no female alpine skier has previously medaled past age 36, illustrating the magnitude of Vonn’s ambition.
Course reports indicated that she entered the first left-hand turn on a direct trajectory, a line that can shave time but offers little margin for error. Her skis drifted wide, the inside edge disengaged and she was launched sideways. The impact appeared to target the left leg, the same limb she favored during warm-up runs on Friday and Saturday. Race officials stopped the event for nearly 15 minutes while medical teams stabilized her.
Moments later, Johnson started wearing bib No. 9 and produced a technically sound run, capitalizing on a cleaner track after the pause. She crossed the finish line 0.27 seconds ahead of Aicher, then watched Goggia fall 0.13 seconds short of silver. Johnson’s gold extended the United States’ strong performance in women’s speed events this season and provided a bittersweet highlight on a day dominated by concern for her mentor.
Competitors expressed both admiration and apprehension in the finish area. Norway’s Kajsa Vickhoff Lie, who finished sixth, called Vonn a lifelong inspiration and said she would not be surprised if the American attempted yet another comeback once medical assessments are complete. Several racers noted that a full World Cup schedule remains after the Games, leaving open the possibility of Vonn returning later in the winter, provided her injuries allow.
For now, attention shifts to Vonn’s medical reports and to Johnson’s place in U.S. alpine history. Team officials confirmed that further imaging would be conducted in Milan before any decisions are made about Vonn’s future participation. Johnson, meanwhile, will remain in Cortina to prepare for the combined event later in the week, where she is considered a contender for another podium finish.
The women’s downhill concluded the first week of alpine competition at the 2026 Winter Games. Men’s giant slalom and the mixed team parallel are scheduled next, maintaining a busy calendar as athletes navigate variable weather forecasts and the lingering impact of Sunday’s dramatic crash.
Crédito da imagem: AP
