Lindsey Vonn Reveals Graphic New Details About Her Crash at the Olympics: ‘I Was in Such Extreme Pain’

Lindsey Vonn poses for 'Vanity Fair' Credit: Quil Lemons / Vanity Fair NEED TO KNOW Lindsey Vonn is speaking out about her accident at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics Less than two months after crashing out of the games, Vonn, 41, has recalled being in "extreme pain" following the incident, which was broadcast around the world "I was number one in the world, and potentially on my way to an Olympic medal. Now I’m in a wheelchair," the athlete tells Vanity Fair in a new interview publishd March 26 Lindsey Vonn is sharing new details about her Olympic heartbreak. In the cover story for Vanity Fair ’s May 2026 issue, released on Thursday, March 26, the Olympian spoke out for the first time about her mental and physical health, weeks after suffering a serious injury that nearly led to her losing her leg.

"I was number one in the world, and potentially on my way to an Olympic medal,” Vonn told the outlet. “Now I’m in a wheelchair. ” Lindsey Vonn poses for 'Vanity Fair' Credit: Quil Lemons / Vanity Fair Vonn — who says she was “ready to go” and “in the exact mental state” that she “wanted to be in” before the Olympics, despite tearing the ACL in her left knee nine days prior — explained that she had a whole strategy planned for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics before the accident.

There was a small lip before a gate in the early section of the women's downhill course, the outlet states, adding that athletes would usually be pushed to the left while turning over it. However, Vonn ended up going over it too fast, pressuring her outside ski too hard. Her arm then caught one of the gate’s poles, per Vanity Fair .

Lindsey Vonn crashes at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics Credit: Screengrab by IOC via Getty Vonn’s coach, Aksel Lund Svindal, told the outlet, “It was a very, very small error. We’re talking about a few centimeters [but] she paid a high price. ” “My leg was broken.