American skier Lindsey Vonn crashed early in the women's downhill race at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Sunday, requiring a helicopter evacuation from the course, according to multiple reports. The crash occurred just seconds into the race, despite Vonn's decision to compete with a fully ruptured ACL in her left knee. The incident cast a shadow over the event, even as teammate Breezy Johnson secured Team USA's first gold medal of the Games in the same race.
Vonn, 41, lost control shortly after the start, appearing to clip a flag marking the course and spinning in the air before hitting her head. Medical personnel attended to her on the snow for several minutes before she was placed on a stretcher and airlifted away, according to CBS News. The crash potentially ended the storied career of the American skier, who had come out of retirement to compete in these Olympics.
Johnson, 30, took the lead early in the race, completing the iconic Olympia delle Tofana course in 1:36.10, according to CBS News. This victory marked her first Olympic medal and the second time an American woman has won gold in Olympic downhill skiing. Emma Aicher of Germany and Sofia Goggia of Italy rounded out the podium.
The crash occurred on Sunday, February 8, 2026, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, according to ABC News. Vonn had previously confirmed her ACL injury, sustained in a World Cup event a week prior, but expressed confidence in her ability to compete with a knee brace, CBS News reported.
In other news, "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie and her siblings released a video on Saturday pleading for the return of their missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, who was last seen on January 31, according to ABC News. In the video, Guthrie stated, "We will pay."
Meanwhile, nearly 80 million people across the East Coast are under alert for a major arctic blast this weekend, with Extreme Cold Warnings in effect across much of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, ABC News reported. Wind chills were already in the negative digits in many cities on Saturday, with even lower numbers expected.
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