Aly Raisman reacts to Lindsey Vonn's return to training after five years away from competitive skiing

By Abhishek Rathore

Modified Nov 15, 2024 15:16 GMT

Former US gymnastics icon Aly Raisman expressed her excitement for compatriot Lindsey Vonn's upcoming race as she comes out of retirement to resume her alpine skiing career. Vonn is making her comeback to the slopes five years after her last appearance at the 2019 World Championships.

On Thursday, November 14, U.S. Ski and Snowboard announced via a press release that the 40-year-old legend was returning to the alpine skiing circuit to rejoin the Stifel U.S. Ski Team for the 2024-25 season. She will be a part of a star-studded American lineup alongside Mikaela Shiffrin, AJ Hurt, Bryce Bennett, Breezy Johnson, Isabella Wright, and others.

Vonn recently shared a video on Instagram where she can be seen training for her first race after the retirement hiatus. She captioned it:

"Well, it’s off to Colorado…. I hope the @usskiteam uniform still fits… #onedayatatime."

Six-time Olympic medalist Aly Raisman reposted the video on her Instagram story, writing:

"Go @lindseyvonn."

Still from Raisman's Instagram Story

Speculation about Vonn's comeback began earlier this year in April when she resumed training after recovering from a knee replacement surgery. Last month, she further fueled the rumors by sharing a video of herself training in Soelden, Austria, the venue for the World Cup opening event.

"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," Lindsey Vonn said about her return in a press release.

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"Really excited to be back on the team with her" - Lindsey Vonn expresses her delight about reuniting with Mikaela Shiffrin and the US ski team

PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games - Source: Getty

Lindsey Vonn said that she was excited to join fellow American skier Mikaela Shiffrin and other team USA members in a recent interview with the New York Times. When asked if it might take time for her to bond with the team, she replied:

"No, for sure not. I’m really excited to be back on the team with her and the rest of the girls."

Speaking about Shiffrin, she said:

"I think it’s amazing what she’s done for the sport and I’m really excited to be her teammate again."

Reflecting on what the future might hold, she added:

"My goal is to enjoy this, and hopefully that road takes me to World Cup races. I wouldn’t be back on the U.S. ski team if I didn’t have intentions. I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t hope to be racing. I have aspirations. I love to go fast. How fast can I go? I don’t know."

Lindsey Vonn will need to earn FIS points or obtain a wild card entry to participate in the upcoming races.