"Lindsey Vonn, attempting to win a gold medal despite sustaining a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her final race before the Games, clipped her pole on a gate early in her first Olympic downhill skiing run and crashed Sunday. Vonn, 41, could be heard screaming after the crash. She received medical attention on the snow and was airlifted off the mountain."
"Vonn retired after a series of injuries seemed to be too much to overcome. Nearly six years later, she announced she missed racing and was confident she had fully recovered her form after a right knee replacement. She shocked many by immediately winning races needed to qualify for the Games and entered the Olympics as the leader in the World Cup downhill standings. Nine days ago, she suffered a torn ACL, a bone bruise and meniscus damage."
"Jackie [Wiles] and myself, we were up there. We watched it live and things just happen so quick in this sport. It looked like Lindsey had incredible speed out of that turn and she hooked her arm [on a gate on the course] and it's just over. Just like that. After all the preparation, after years of hard work and rehabilitation and all the things, it's the last thing you want to see somebody go through."
Lindsey Vonn clipped her pole on a gate early in her first Olympic downhill run, crashed, received on-snow medical attention and was airlifted off the mountain. Race officials halted the competition while she was treated and later resumed the event. Breezy Johnson held the early lead and ultimately won the downhill, earning the Americans' first gold medal of the Games. Teammates celebrated Johnson's victory while remaining concerned for Vonn. Vonn had retired years earlier after injuries, undergone a right knee replacement, returned to competition, won qualifying races and entered the Olympics leading the World Cup downhill standings despite a torn ACL, bone bruise and meniscus damage sustained nine days earlier.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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