American skier Lindsey Vonn crashed out of the women’s Olympic downhill just nine days after suffering an ACL injury in her left knee.
The 41-year-old had completed two training runs on the Olimpia delle Tofane course in Cortina but fell early in her race after clipping the first gate. She was treated on the slope for some time before being airlifted off the piste.
Vonn had taken a big risk by competing at the Winter Olympics so soon after rupturing knee ligaments in Switzerland, determined to race in what she said would be her final Olympics. The crowd applauded as she was flown away from the course where she enjoyed much of her success, including 12 World Cup wins.
She had hoped to compete in the downhill, super-G and team events, but the crash makes further races unlikely and could mark a painful end to her Olympic career.
