Lindsey Vonn Shares Why She’s Coming Back for the 2026 Winter Olympics

Lindsey Vonn.
Credit :

Harry How/Getty Images; Fabrice Coffrini/ AFP/Getty Images

NEED TO KNOW

• Lindsey Vonn is discussing her return to racing after a six-year retirement.
• She cites a personal connection to the 2026 Winter Olympics as a motivating factor.
• Vonn is set to make history as the oldest Alpine skier to compete in Winter Olympics.

When 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn announced her return to ski racing in 2024, six years after stepping away to focus on her girls’ sports foundation, it sparked a mix of enthusiasm and curiosity about her decision.

The reason behind her comeback is clear: she believes she can. After enduring multiple torn ACLs and various injuries during her career, a partial titanium knee replacement in 2024 gave the three-time Olympic medalist a new perspective on her athletic potential.

“My body was so different,” she explained. “I didn’t have any pain at all; my knee didn’t swell. I felt like I could do anything. The thought of ski racing again, something I loved to do so much, but without pain, was really exciting.”

Additionally, Vonn was dissatisfied with the way her career ended, fueled by the allure of a potential return to winning form. “I built an amazing life and was really happy in retirement,” she stated while reflecting on her philanthropic efforts. “But I didn’t finish my career the way I wanted to. I was limping away when I wanted to finish strong.” Now, she is poised to become the oldest woman to compete in Alpine racing at the Winter Olympics in history.

However, there is also a deeply personal impetus for her return to Cortina in 2026. “Honestly, I don’t know if I would have done this if it wasn’t at Cortina,” Vonn admitted. “It’s where I got my first podium [placing third at the 2004 World Cup]. I also broke the women’s World Cup record there.”

The upcoming Olympics will hold additional significance for Vonn, as Cortina is where both her parents, Alan and Lindy, attended to witness her first podium finish in 2004, a notable moment in her rise as a skier.

SUN VALLEY, IDAHO – MARCH 23: Lindsey Vonn of Team United States celebrates second place on the podium in the women’s Super-G during the STIFEL FIS World Cup Finals at Sun Valley Resort on March 23, 2025.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Vonn’s mother passed away in 2022 after a battle with ALS, an event that weighed heavily on her. The 2026 games will offer Vonn a chance to pay tribute to her mother’s memory, returning to the site of her early triumphs. “It’s one of the few races in my whole career that both of my parents were at,” she said. “So it’s a very special place for me.”