Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn, 40, ending her retirement to make a skiing comeback

Lindsey Vonn has announced that she is coming out of retirement to rejoin the U.S. Ski Team, with plans to race again at the age of 40, six years after her last appearance in the Olympics.

Vonn is a three-time Olympic medalist, having won a downhill gold and super-G bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Games, along with a downhill bronze at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. She is also a four-time overall World Cup champion and has earned eight world championship medals.

Her record of 82 World Cup race victories stood as the most by a female skier until January 2023, when American Mikaela Shiffrin surpassed it. Shiffrin, who is still competing, has since reached 97 wins, more than any Alpine skier in history. Before breaking Vonn's record, Shiffrin expressed admiration for Vonn, saying, "I don't know if I could fill Lindsey's shoes, the way that she has worn them."

Vonn's last competition was in February 2019, following a career marked by numerous injuries, including broken arms and legs, torn knee ligaments, and concussions. In April of this year, after retiring from the World Cup circuit, she underwent surgery for a partial knee replacement.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard confirmed that Vonn has been training in recent months. "Getting back to skiing without pain has been an incredible journey," Vonn shared. She also expressed her desire to "continue to share my knowledge of the sport with these incredible women" on the American team.

Sophie Goldschmidt, president and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, expressed excitement over Vonn's return, calling her "dedication and passion towards Alpine skiing... inspiring," and added, "We're excited to have her back on snow and see where she can go from here."

Vonn is now officially back with the team, but details about which races she will target are yet to be revealed. The next Winter Olympics will take place in Italy in February 2026.