"I still won a lot of races being injured" - Lindsey Vonn on whether she could've achieved more if given more recovery time
Downhill skier Lindsey Vonn, who retired in 2019, has once again highlighted the risks that come with ski racing, especially in the form of injuries. Vonn, an Olympic gold medalist, underwent a series of surgeries in 2023, including a knee replacement surgery.
She was recently asked by a follower on X (formerly Twitter) if she would have won more races/titles if she had the time to fully recover from her injuries during the season.
To this, Vonn, 39, replied:
"Of course if I had more time to recover I might have been able to do more but I still won a lot of races being injured."
She added that she has no regrets:
"I have no regrets. I always skied with my heart and I never wanted to miss a single race."
Vonn, who won consecutive title in 2008, 2009, and 2010, has raised concerns about the increasing rate of injuries in skiers, like Aleksandar Kilde and Mikaela Shiffrin. She noted that this was unfortunately the state of play in the sport.
"Unfortunately, this is ski racing. They have changed the skis to make athletes slower but it didn't work. It only cost the ski companies millions and almost ruined the industry," Lindsey Vonn wrote.
Highlighting the safety nets, Vonn said:
"To my knowledge, the nets are the same as they have been in the modern era, so maybe there's room for improvement?? There have been airbags created that athletes wear as well as cut proof leggings (although I've never tested them myself).
"Otherwise I don't know of any new technologies that have/are being developed to help the athletes' safety."
Lindsey Vonn on the other side as a better person post-surgery
The former alpine skiing champion recently shared a story on Instagram, sharing her insight post-surgery. Lindsey Vonn said she has always come out the other side a better person.
"No matter how many times I fell, I always got back up. I didn't do it alone though," Vonn said.
Vonn shared that she had the support of friends, family and her fans.
"Knowing I had people supporting me helped me in my darkest hours. Every day I tried to put one foot in front of the other until it eventually got me back to where I wanted to go."
In an earlier post, the former World Cup champion said she has no regrets about her career, despite all the surgeries she had to undergo.
"I loved skiing and I'm never going to complain about all the things that have happened to me," Lindsey Vonn said.