Winter Olympics 2026: Lindsey Vonn's career comes to halt

Lindsey Vonn’s career came to a sudden halt.

Lindsey Vonn’s career and race came to a possible stop as her father advised on her final run.

Alan Kildow candidly revealed that he is not of the opinion that Vonn should return to competition or even stay back in Italy through the remainder of the Milan-Cortina Games.

He further noted, “She’s 41 years old, and this is the end of her career. There will be no more ski races for Lindsey Vonn, as long as I have anything to say about it”.

Vonn was airlifted off the course after her right arm clipped a gate, sending her violently into the snow and halting competition for nearly 20 minutes.

She was flown to a hospital in Treviso, where she has since undergone two surgeries to stabilise her left leg after initially being expected to need only one. Doctors performed the second procedure to control swelling and preserve blood flow. She was later moved to intensive care for added privacy.

Kildow declined to discuss the specifics of her injuries but emphasized his daughter’s resilience. “She’s a very strong individual,” he said.

“She knows physical pain. She understands the circumstances she finds herself in, and she’s handling it better than I expected”.

A career defined by risk and records

The scene was especially cruel given how improbable Vonn’s Olympic appearance already was. More than a week before Sunday’s race, she completely ruptured her ACL during a tune-up event in Switzerland.

Most athletes would have been done, but Vonn wasn’t. She insisted her Olympic dream was still alive, reminding reporters she had endured worse injuries throughout a career that previously forced her into retirement in 2019.

Her father insists the crash had nothing to do with the knee injury. “It had more to do with pushing the limits,” Kildow explained.

“In downhill, there are times you have to take a little speed off. Give yourself more leeway. She just got into a questionable position.”

Vonn’s family – including Kildow, her brother, and two sisters – watched from the finish area as trainers surrounded her on the course.

They were there again in the hospital, where Kildow said someone has remained with her at all times. He even slept in her room overnight. “We’ll have people here as long as she’s here,” he said.

Vonn’s Olympic legacy

What makes the ending harder is how strong Vonn looked entering the Games. She owns 12 World Cup victories on the course and arrived hoping to add a fourth Olympic medal.

Since returning from retirement, she had won two downhill races this season and finished on the podium in seven of eight World Cup starts, missing only once with a fourth-place finish.

“She won 84 World Cup races,” Kildow said. “Not many people do that. And there’s a hell of a difference between speed races and slalom”.

Only Mikaela Shiffrin, with 108 wins, stands above her in World Cup history. Whether Vonn ultimately accepts her father’s verdict remains to be seen.

But as she recovers in Italy, surrounded by family and care, one truth is undeniable, Vonn’s career doesn’t need any more polish.