American alpine skiing star Lindsey Vonn, who was participating in the Winter Games despite having a serious knee injury last week, suffered a violent fall and abandoned the Milan-Cortina women’s downhill this Sunday (8).
The “Speed Queen”, Olympic downhill champion in 2010, fell at the beginning of her descent in Cortina d’Ampezzo, remaining lying in the snow before being attended to by the medical team, amid tears and screams of pain, according to television images.
Starting with number 13 and at the age of 41, Vonn had only about 12 seconds to go when she got tangled up in one of the posts and, already unbalanced, fell after landing from a jump on a right turn.
Vonn remained lying on the ground before receiving medical attention, and in a station that was silent, it was possible to hear the champion’s screams of pain and crying.
After more than 10 minutes in the snow, Vonn was transported by helicopter to a hospital, while the public gathered upon arrival said goodbye to a huge ovation.
At 41 years and 113 days old, the American star was attempting what some would call madness: becoming Olympic downhill champion again, 16 years after her title in Vancouver, and after making a spectacular comeback last winter, after six years of retirement and with a titanium prosthesis in her right knee.
The challenge had become even more daunting after a new and serious injury suffered in the downhill in Crans Montana, Switzerland, a week before the Games.
Despite having a badly damaged left knee, with a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament, Vonn had confirmed her participation in her fifth Games and had carried out promising official training sessions, particularly on Saturday (7), when she finished in third place.
The downhill race resumed after more than 15 minutes of interruption.
