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Lindsey Vonn completes downhill training without issue ahead of Sunday’s medal event

<i>Marco Trovati/AP via CNN Newsource</i><br/>United States' Lindsey Vonn concentrates ahead of an alpine ski

By CNN Newsource

Published February 6, 2026 7:01 am

By Dana O’Neil, CNN

Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy (CNN) — Lindsey Vonn completed her downhill training run on Friday without issue at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre ahead of Sunday’s medal event in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

After a delay of over an hour due to fog in the mountains of Cortina, Vonn completed the run in a time of 1 minute, 40.33 seconds.

Ahead of Friday’s official training, the three-time Olympic medalist wrote in an Instagram post, “Nothing makes me happier! No one would have believed I would be here… but I made it!! I’m here, I’m smiling and no matter what, I know how lucky I am. I’m not going to waste this chance. Let’s go get it!!”

Vonn was injured January 30 in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, in the final competition prior to the Olympics. She lost control trying to land a jump and eventually was airlifted to a hospital. Vonn was one of three racers who crashed in that morning’s action, leading race organizers to cancel the competition due to bad conditions.

At a press conference earlier this week, she explained the extent of her injuries, saying she “completely ruptured” her ACL and also had a deep bone bruise but added, “I am confident that I can compete on Sunday. I knew what my chances were before the crash, and I know my chances aren’t the same as it stands today, but I know there’s still a chance, and as long as there’s a chance, I will try.’’

Vonn has since posted regularly to her Instagram account, showing her working out with heavy weights, stretching and in a pool. Her left knee is wrapped in a heavy brace.

The 41-year-old Vonn already was trying to defy odds, returning to the Olympics after announcing her retirement in 2019. Done in by a litany of injuries, she said at the time she was walking away because, as she wrote in an Instagram post, her body was telling her to “STOP.’’ But a titanium knee replacement, intended to just alleviate chronic pain, went so well she decided to try skiing again.

She slowly made her way back to competition beginning in late 2024 and won two World Cup downhill races this season – racking her career total up to 84 and putting her in the lead in the season standings – and earned a spot in her fifth Olympic Games.

The women’s downhill is set for 5:30 a.m. ET Sunday morning.

This is a developing story and will be updated.