The skiing legend Confident of Being 'perfectly positioned' for the upcoming Winter Olympics
The veteran skier had a titanium prosthesis fitted to her right knee throughout her hiatus from competitive skiing.
American skiing icon Lindsey Vonn asserts she will be "in an excellent position" for the upcoming Winter Olympics, following securing a place on the rostrum for the fourth time in her last five World Cup races.
The 41-year-old, who last week set a record by becoming the oldest downhill World Cup winner, finished third in the super giant slalom in Val d'Isere on Sunday. This marked her 142nd career World Cup podium finish.
Strong Return in Val d'Isere
Returning to the iconic venue for the first occasion in eight years, Vonn finished the course in a time of one minute 20.60 seconds. She was 0.36 seconds behind victor Sofia Goggia of Italy, with New Zealand's Alice Robinson taking the runner-up spot.
"I didn't quite have the right line on the first jump," Vonn said. "After that, I performed strongly. I'm happy with my run today, unlike in the super-G in St Moritz, where I was too conservative."
This result was her second top-three finish at Val d'Isere over the weekend, having also taken third in the downhill race on Saturday.
An Incredible Return from Injury
Vonn officially retired in February 2019 because of persistent injuries. However, she returned to racing in December 2024 after a partial knee replacement.
With just over six weeks remaining until the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, which are scheduled for February 6th to the 22nd, Vonn's form are highly promising.
She already possesses an Olympic gold and two bronze medals in her collection and is firmly on track to represent the United States at the next Olympics.
"At the Olympics, I will be where I need to be," the athlete confirmed.
Aiming for Further Glory
In addition to her Olympic ambitions, Vonn is also hoping to add to the four overall crystal globes she has accumulated over a professional journey spanning 20 years.
She currently holds a 69-point lead at the summit of the downhill World Cup rankings and is ranked fifth in the super-G World Cup table.
This current World Cup campaign includes a nine more events taking place before the circuit finale in Norway on March 21st, 2026.
