Five months after a severe crash at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, skiing legend Lindsey Vonn has revealed that her ankle is "still broken." The 41-year-old made the disclosure on the red carpet at Wednesday's ESPY Awards in Los Angeles, describing her recovery as a "very slow process."
"It's been five months since I've been able to actually go to the gym in a somewhat meaningful way. And walking is actually still really hard for me," Vonn told People.com. Despite the ongoing challenges, Vonn has vowed to return to skiing.
Olympic Injury and Recovery
The accident occurred in February during the Milan Cortina Games. Vonn was competing on a torn ACL when she crashed, fracturing her tibia. The injury was severe enough that she "nearly needed to have her left leg amputated." She has since undergone eight surgeries and months of rehabilitation.
Tributes to TJ Lanning
The update on Vonn's health comes shortly after she led tributes to former U.S. alpine skier TJ Lanning, who died on July 2 in Park City, Utah, at the age of 41. A cause of death has not been revealed.
Vonn, who had known Lanning since childhood, shared an emotional message on Instagram. "TJ (aka crowbar jr) - we've known each other since we were 12," she wrote. "We shared a lot of memories on the mountain. I hope you are at peace my friend. We will all miss you. Until we meet again."
Lanning's own skiing career was marked by a significant injury in 2009, when he crashed in Lake Louise, Canada, fracturing his neck and sustaining a major left knee injury. The incident ultimately forced him into retirement, after which he transitioned to coaching for the United States team.
Ski Racing Media noted Lanning's "impact on our sport went far beyond his years of competition," describing his career as one "marked by promise, pain, persistence and impact." The outlet added that his death is a "profound loss for the American ski racing community."