Olympian Lindsey Vonn Announces Retirement: 'My Body Is Broken Beyond Repair' From Injuries
Four-time Olympian Lindsey Vonn is retiring from ski racing after the world championships, she announced Friday on Instagram.
Vonn shared how she had planned to retire in December of this year but could no longer ignore pain in both of her knees. She came to the realization that it was time to end her career after knee injuries kept her from finishing a race last month in Italy.
"Despite extensive therapy, training and a knee brace, I am not able make the turns necessary to compete the way I know I can," Vonn wrote on Instagram. "My body is broken beyond repair and it isn't letting me have the final season I dreamed of. My body is screaming at me to STOP and it’s time for me to listen."
Vonn said that she plans to compete at the world championships in the downhill and super-G next week in Are, Sweden. The women's super-G is scheduled for next Tuesday, while the downhill is set for Feb. 10.
Along with her knee injuries, Vonn has also suffered torn ACLs, a broken ankle and had fractures near her left knee.
The 82-time World Cup winner medaled in gold in the downhill and bronze in the super-G at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. She won her second bronze medal in the downhill at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang.
"Honestly, retiring isn’t what upsets me. Retiring without reaching my goal is what will stay with me forever," Vonn said on Instagram. "However, I can look back at 82 World Cup wins, 20 World Cup titles, 3 Olympic medals, 7 World Championship medals and say that I have accomplished something that no other woman in HISTORY has ever done, and that is something that I will be proud of FOREVER!"
