Lindsey Vonn’s bid for a fourth Olympic medal ended in heartbreak at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The American skiing star crashed early in the women’s downhill race, suffering severe pain and injury. Medical staff rushed to comfort the 41-year-old after her fall on the firm snow at the famed Olimpia delle Tofane piste. She hit the snow hard just 13 seconds into her run and tumbled down with her skis still attached, risking further knee damage. Vonn was taken away by helicopter as fans applauded her brave effort. Meanwhile, her teammate Breezy Johnson claimed gold in a thrilling race. Johnson finished just ahead of Germany’s Emma Aicher, who won silver by 0.04 seconds. Italy’s Sofia Goggia took bronze, delighting the home crowd. Johnson’s win at Cortina d’Ampezzo came exactly one year after her world championship gold in Austria. Vonn, who retired in 2019 but returned to competition after knee surgery, had been podium-bound in every World Cup downhill this season. She planned to race in team combined and super-G events but her injury now casts doubt on those plans. The crash might mark the end of Vonn’s remarkable comeback in her early 40s.