By Lindsey Vonn’s sensational return to the Alpine World Ski Championships ended in disappointment on Thursday after the 40-year-old crashed out of the super-G event.
The American was making her first appearance in six years after coming out of retirement last year, but did not finish her first run in Austria after skiing into a gate.
Vonn had started well but took a turn too aggressively and got caught up in the gate. She managed to stay upright but was seen clutching her arm, which had taken the brunt of the collision. She was then seen shaking it out, clearly in some discomfort.
Fans gasped as they watched the high-speed collision, but Vonn didn’t appear to be too hurt by the incident. She was later seen on the broadcast chatting to people behind the scenes.
“I am OK,” Vonn said, per ESPN. “I hit my nerve somehow and I hit the gate and lost feeling in my arm, but it’s coming back slowly.”
Vonn had taken to Instagram on Wednesday to say how excited she was to return to world championships action, but also revealed she had been suffering from a slight illness.
The American ski legend had retired in 2019 after winning three Winter Olympic medals – including downhill gold in 2010 – eight world championship medals and 82 World Cup race wins.
At the time, she cited how her body was “broken beyond repair” but, after undergoing a successful partial knee replacement surgery last year, she was encouraged to return to the sport.
“I feel lucky to get this opportunity but also thankful that I was able to earn my way here with a body that is finally working again,” she said on Instagram Wednesday.
Should she feel healthy enough after the collision, Vonn is set to race again in the downhill event on the weekend: “I didn’t wait six years to stay in bed because I’m sick. I’m going to be out there and having fun. Maybe it’s not the result I wanted, but I was in the starting gate, I was enjoying it, I was focused, and I had a great time. Just wish it had been a better result. But I have another chance on Saturday.”
