Lindsey Vonn Claps Back at Medical Critic Over Olympic Comeback Injury
Olympic skiing legend Lindsey Vonn has delivered a sharp rebuttal to an online critic who cast doubt on the impressiveness of her injury comeback. The decorated athlete confirmed on Tuesday that she is pushing forward with her Olympic return at age 41, despite suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) just one week before the Winter Games commence in Milan-Cortina.
Vonn's Stunning Recovery from Horror Crash
The American skier's remarkable bounce back from a devastating crash at Crans-Montana in Switzerland has astonished fans in the lead-up to the sporting extravaganza. However, one medical professional appeared to suggest that Vonn, who secured downhill gold in 2010, might be exaggerating the extent of her injury.
Brian Sutterer, a sports medicine doctor, took to social media platform X to question the condition of Vonn's cruciate ligament prior to her accident at the FIS World Cup downhill event. He speculated about whether the ligament was fully intact before the crash.
'What she is doing now would not be nearly as surprising in an elite athlete whose knee was already functioning like the ACL was torn at baseline,' Stutterer commented.He elaborated further, explaining that chronic ACL injuries allow the body time to adapt and retrain muscles to support the knee. Additionally, he noted that individuals with prior tears or surgeries may experience less swelling and pain with repeat injuries.
'Bottom line, I don’t think this was a bread and butter, fresh ACL tear like everyone is thinking,' the doctor concluded.Vonn's Swift and Sarcastic Rebuttal
Vonn was quick to fire back at the doctor's claims, delivering a pointed response on the same social media platform. 'lol thanks doc,' Vonn sarcastically replied. She firmly stated, 'My ACL was fully functioning until last Friday. Just because it seems impossible to you doesn’t mean it’s not possible. And yes, my ACL is 100% ruptured. Not 80% or 50%. It’s 100% gone.'
The skier, who ended a five-year retirement in 2024, confirmed the full extent of her injury last week. Despite this setback, she insisted during a press conference earlier this week that it would not hinder her pursuit of gold.
'I know what my chances were before the crash and I know my chances aren’t the same as it stands today,' Vonn declared. 'But I know there’s still a chance, and as long as there’s a chance, I will try.'Training Run Success with Knee Brace Support
Vonn is competing with a substantial brace on her knee to provide additional support despite the serious nature of her injury. This brace proved effective during a training run on Friday, when Vonn completed a descent down the Olimpia delle Tofane course just two days before her scheduled medal competition.
During the run, Vonn encountered challenges midway down the course when she went wide, forcing a correction and narrowly clearing the gate. Her line prompted another close call at the following gate as well.
Despite these difficulties, Vonn placed 11th among 47 competitors in the training run. She was the third-best American performer, trailing behind sixth-place Wyoming native Breezy Johnson and Oregon's Jacqueline Wiles, who recorded the day's best time of 1:38.94.
When questioned by the Associated Press about whether the run went well, Vonn offered a characteristically curt response: 'Yep.'
