⚡ Live Event — Women’s Downhill
📍 Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre
📅 Day 2 — Sunday, February 8, 2026
Vonn’s Run Ends Early:
Vonn — a three-time Olympic medalist and one of the sport’s all-time greats — was only 13 seconds into her run when she clipped a gate, lost control and slammed to the snow, eliciting audible screams in the crowd.Medical Response:
Medical personnel rushed to her side, and she was stabilized on a gurney before being airlifted to hospital by helicopter. Her exact condition remains uncertain at this early stage, though the scene was described as serious.Event Delay:
The race was paused for approximately 30 minutes as officials attended to Vonn and resumed once the course was cleared.
🥇 Medal Results
While the drama unfolded, the downhill race still produced its podium:
🥇 Gold — Breezy Johnson (USA):
USA’s Johnson secured the first U.S. gold medal of the Games with a time of 1:36.10 — her first Olympic medal.🥈 Silver — Emma Aicher (GER)
🥉 Bronze — Sofia Goggia (ITA)
Johnson’s victory was a poignant juxtaposition: a breakthrough for American skiing on a day marked by heartbreak for her teammate.
🏔️ Vonn’s Road to the Olympics
Lindsey Vonn’s presence at these Games was already a story of resilience and sheer will:
After retiring years earlier due to chronic injuries, she returned to competition and quickly became a contender again, even leading World Cup downhill standings.
Just nine days before the Olympic downhill, she suffered a complete ACL rupture but insisted on competing, completing training runs while wearing a brace.
Her goal was historic: to become the oldest Olympic alpine skiing medalist and add another chapter to an already legendary career.
🧠 Reactions & Legacy
Fellow athletes, officials, and fans were visibly shaken by the crash. Many praised Vonn’s courage and career contributions even as questions swirl about the risks she took to compete.
FIS President and other skiing luminaries acknowledged her impact on the sport, emphasizing that her legacy transcends today’s result.
📺 What’s Next
The downhill finish marks only the second day of competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
Alpine events, skating, snowboarding, and more continue through the coming week with several marquee races still to come.
Summary — Key Points
Lindsey Vonn crashes early in the women’s downhill, ending her Olympic medal bid.
She was airlifted to hospital; status not fully released.
Breezy Johnson wins gold — first U.S. gold of the 2026 Games.
Vonn’s comeback from injury was extraordinary and deeply compelling.
