Lindsey Vonn Crash: Skiier Vows Comeback After Knee Injury, Hopes to Compete at 2014 Sochi Olympics

Ski champ promises her fans she has every intention of getting back to good health following yesterday's tumble in order to race at next year's Winter Games

By Josh Grossberg Feb 06, 2013 5:03 PMTags
Awesome Olympians, Lindsey VonnClive Mason/Getty Images

While Lindsey Vonn may have gone down in the agony of defeat yesterday, she's not out—at least when it comes to her Olympic dreams.

After injuring her right knee following a scary crash at the Alpine World Championships in Schladming, Austria, yesterday that required her to be airlifted to a nearby hospital, the Olympic gold medalist has vowed a swift recovery so she can compete at the Sochi Winter Games a year from now.

"First off I want to say thank you to the amazing medical staff that cared for me. I plan on returning to Vail as soon as I can to have the necessary surgeries," said the 28-year-old in a statement to the Today show. "I am also grateful to my fans for the outpouring of support, which has really helped me stay positive. I can assure you that I will work as hard as humanly possible to be ready to represent my country next year in Sochi."

Lindsey ended up sustaining a torn ACL and MCL in her right knee and a lateral tibial plateau fracture, which brought an abrupt end to her season, after losing control of her skis during a downhill run when Vonn's right knee splayed out from under her, sending her tumbling across the course and crying out in pain.

The most decorated American skier in history, Vonn however is no stranger to mishaps, having dealt with injuries throughout most of her championship career.

But torn ligaments and a bone fracture aren't easy to come back from, and Lindsey will have her work cut out for her. 

"It was a very, very aggressive crash," U.S. ski team coach Chip White told Today. "The injury, though, and outcome, it's an injury that's not unusual in ski racing. She was back at the hotel a couple of hours after the accident. She was in good spirits starting to plot out her rehab and her next steps, so I'm confident we will see Lindsey Vonn in Sochi next year."

Good luck, Linds!