The skiing legend Assured of Being 'perfectly positioned' for the upcoming Winter Olympics
Vonn underwent a artificial joint fitted to her right knee during her break from the sport.
American skiing icon Lindsey Vonn has declared she will be "in an excellent position" for the upcoming Winter Olympics, following earning a top-three finish for the fourth time in five World Cup competitions.
The veteran athlete, who achieved a milestone by becoming the oldest downhill World Cup winner, finished third in the super-G in Val d'Isere on Sunday. This was her 142nd career World Cup podium finish.
Strong Return in Val d'Isere
Returning to the iconic venue for the first occasion in almost a decade, Vonn crossed the line in a time of one minute 20.60 seconds. She was just over a third of a second behind victor Sofia Goggia of Italy, with New Zealand's Alice Robinson securing second place.
"I was slightly lacking the right line on the first jump," Vonn said. "From that point on, I skied well. I'm pleased with my skiing today, in contrast to in the super-G in St Moritz, where I was not aggressive enough."
This performance was her second top-three finish at Val d'Isere over the weekend, having also finished third in the downhill race on Saturday.
An Incredible Return from Retirement
Vonn stepped away from competition in early 2019 as a result of ongoing knee problems. However, she made a stunning return in late 2024 following a major knee surgery.
With less than two months remaining until the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, which are scheduled for February 6th to the 22nd, Vonn's form are timely.
She boasts an Olympic gold and two bronze medals from previous Games and is strongly positioned to represent the United States at the next Olympics.
"When we get to Cortina, I will be in a good place," the athlete confirmed.
Chasing More Titles
In addition to her Olympic ambitions, Vonn is also hoping to add to the four overall crystal globes she has won over a professional journey spanning 20 years.
She currently holds a 69-point lead at the summit of the downhill World Cup rankings and is sitting in fifth place in the super-G World Cup table.
This current World Cup campaign features a nine more events taking place before the circuit finale in Norway on 21 March 2026.
