The American champion Confident of Being 'in a good place' for Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics
Vonn had a titanium prosthesis placed in her right knee during her break from competitive skiing.
Alpine star Lindsey Vonn has declared she will be "in an excellent position" for the upcoming Winter Olympics, on the back of securing a podium spot for the fourth instance in her last five World Cup events.
The veteran athlete, who achieved a milestone by becoming the oldest downhill World Cup winner, took the bronze position in the super giant slalom in Val d'Isere on Sunday. This was her one hundred and forty-second career World Cup podium finish.
Impressive Performance in Val d'Isere
Competing at the iconic venue for the first time in eight years, Vonn crossed the line in a time of one minute 20.60 seconds. She was 0.36 seconds behind winner Sofia Goggia of Italy, with New Zealand's Alice Robinson securing second place.
"I was slightly lacking enough direction on the first jump," Vonn remarked. "After that, I performed strongly. I'm happy with my run today, in contrast to in the super-G in St Moritz, where I was too conservative."
This performance was her second top-three finish at Val d'Isere over the weekend, having also finished third in the downhill race on Saturday.
An Incredible Return from Retirement
Vonn stepped away from competition in February 2019 because of persistent injuries. However, she returned to racing in late 2024 after a major knee surgery.
With just over six weeks remaining until the 2026 Winter Games, which are set to run from February 6th to the 22nd, Vonn's performances are timely.
She boasts an Olympic gold and two Olympic bronze medals from previous Games and is firmly on track to compete for the United States at the 2026 Games.
"In Cortina, I will be fully ready," the athlete confirmed.
Aiming for Further Glory
In addition to her Games aspirations, Vonn is also aiming to increase the four World Cup titles she has secured over a career spanning two decades.
She presently enjoys a 69-point lead at the summit of the overall downhill standings and is sitting in fifth place in the overall super-G standings.
This current World Cup campaign includes a nine more events scheduled before the season finals in Norway on March 21st, 2026.
