Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn coming out of retirement, returning to U.S. ski team

Three-time Olympic medalist Lindsey Vonn announced Thursday that she is ending her retirement and will join the U.S. Ski Team.

Vonn, 40, made the announcement on her social media platforms and through a news release from the U.S. Ski Team.  She captioned a post shared to Instagram and X posts (which included a video of her skiing down a slope): “Well, it’s off to Colorado. I hope the U.S. Ski Team uniform still fits.”

The U.S. Ski Team said that Vonn’s decision to return to ski racing came after “careful consideration” by the skier, who underwent partial knee replacement surgery in April. She has been training and tested the knee over the last several months.  Vonn shared: “Getting back to skiing without pain has been an incredible journey. I am looking forward to being back with the Stifel U.S. Ski Team and to continue to share my knowledge of the sport with these incredible women.”

Vonn — one of the most decorated skiers in history — announced her retirement in 2019. She earned her first World Cup triumph in 2004, going on to total 82 World Cup race victories, which stood as the record until fellow American Mikaela Shiffrin broke passed her mark in January 2023. Vonn is a four-time overall World Cup champion, and also earned eight medals — including two golds — at World Championships. She won gold in the downhill at Vancouver 2010, and a bronze in the Super G at the 2010 Winter Games. Vonn added another bronze medal in the downhill at Pyeongchang 2018.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard president and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt said in a statement: “Lindsey has made an indelible mark on alpine skiing and our organization throughout her career. We’re delighted to welcome her back. Her dedication and passion towards alpine skiing is inspiring and we’re excited to have her back on snow and see where she can go from here.”

The next Winter Olympics will be held Feb. 6 to 22, 2026, in Cortina d’Ampezzo and Milan, Italy.

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