- - Lindsey Vonn qualifies for 2026 Olympics, completing a remarkable comeback from retirement

Jay Busbee December 23, 2025 at 9:37 PM

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One of the most remarkable comebacks in Olympic history is now a reality. Eight years after her last Olympic berth, skier Lindsey Vonn will once again represent the United States in February for the Milano/Cortina Games.

Vonn, who retired in 2019, had pursued a range of endeavors outside skiing. But as she watched her younger counterparts ski in Beijing in 2022, an old competitive spark flared. A knee replacement in 2024 gave her the strength and flexibility to begin a comeback, and in December at St. Moritz, she won her first World Cup race in nearly six years to validate her comeback. That victory gave her the points she needed to qualify for Team USA, which announced the selection on Tuesday morning.

“Lindsey qualifying for the 2026 Olympic team is a testament to her resilience and dedication, and the remarkable results she’s delivered on the World Cup this season,” Sophie Goldschmidt, president and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, said in a statement to The Athletic. “She’s proven once again that elite performance isn’t just about past success, it’s about rising to the moment, race after race. We’re thrilled to cheer her on at the Olympics.”

Vonn retired with 82 World Cup victories, most all-time among women, although Mikaela Shiffrin has since passed her. She has now has 83 to go along with three Olympic medals: a gold from Vancouver in downhill, and bronzes from Vancouver (super-G) and Pyeongchang (downhill).

The knee replacement powered her comeback, but the venue of the 2026 Games — Cortina d'Ampezzo, in Italy — inspired it. Vonn has 12 World Cup wins in Cortina, and considers the course a home-field advantage.

“I don't think I would have tried this comeback if the Olympics weren't in Cortina,” Vonn said in October. “If it had been anywhere else, I would probably say it's not worth it. But for me, there's something special about Cortina that always pulls me back, and it's pulled me back one last time.”

The 2026 Winter Olympics begin on Feb. 6, and Vonn's events begin on Feb. 8.

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Source: “AOL Sports”