Skier Lindsey Vonn, 40, ends her retirement 6 years after the last Olympics

PARK CITY, Utah — Lindsey Vonn is coming out of retirement to rejoin the U.S. ski team, she announced Thursday, intending to race again at age 40 — and six years after her last Olympics.

Vonn is a three-time Olympic medalist, including a downhill gold and super-G bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Games, and a downhill bronze at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. She is also a four-time overall world champion and owns eight world championship medals.

Her 82 World Cup wins stood as a record for a woman until the total was eclipsed in January 2023 by American Mikaela Shiffrin, who is still active and now has 97 wins – more than any alpine ski racer in the sport’s history.

Before eclipsing Vonn’s total, Shiffrin said, “I don’t know if I could fill Lindsey’s shoes the way she’s worn them.”

Vonn’s last competition came in February 2019 after dealing with a host of injuries throughout her career.

There were broken arms and legs, torn knee ligaments, concussions and much more.

Just in April, years after she left the World Cup circuit, she underwent surgery for a partial knee replacement.

Vonn has been training in recent months, US Ski & Snowboard said Thursday.

“Getting back to skiing pain-free has been an incredible journey,” Vonn said, adding that she wants to “continue to share my knowledge of the sport with these incredible women” on the U.S. team.

US Ski & Snowboard president and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt said Vonn’s “dedication and passion for alpine skiing is inspiring, and we’re excited to have her back on the snow and see where she can go from here.”

Vonn is back with the team effective immediately, but it is not yet known what specific races she aims to compete in.

The next Winter Olympics are in Italy in February 2026.