U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn said she will try to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games with a torn ACL, bone bruise and meniscal tears that she sustained in competition just one week before the Olympic opening ceremony.

“I’m not letting this slip through my fingers. I’m gonna do it. End of story,” Vonn said in a press conference at the Cortina Curling Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Tuesday. “I’m not crying, my head is high, I’m standing tall. And I’m gonna do my best, and whatever the result is, that’s what it is. But never say I didn’t try.”

In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Vonn, 41, said she “completely tore my ACL last Friday” when she crashed during her final downhill race in Switzerland and was airlifted to get medical attention.

“I also sustained a bone bruise (which is a common injury when you tear your ACL), plus meniscal tears but it’s unclear how much of that was there previously and what was new from the crash,” Vonn wrote in her post Tuesday. “This was obviously incredibly hard news to receive one week before the Olympics. I really appreciate everyone giving me time and space to process what happened and find a way forward.”

“After extensive consultations with doctors, intense therapy, physical tests as well as skiing today, I have determined I am capable of competing in the Olympic Downhill on Sunday,” she continued. “Of course I will still need to do one training run, as is required to race on Sunday, but… I am confident in my body’s ability to perform.”

Despite her injuries, Vonn said her knee is stable, there is no swelling and her muscles are “firing and reacting as they should.”

Vonn said she and her medical team will evaluate her condition daily “to make sure we are making smart decisions.”

“I know what my chances in these Olympics were before this crash, and even though my chances aren’t the same now, there is still a chance,” she wrote. “And as long as I have a chance, I will not lose hope. I will not give up! It’s not over yet! Thank you to everyone who has reached out and supported me. I feel the love and it is giving me strength.”

Vonn is currently scheduled to participate in the first official Olympic alpine skiing women’s downhill training on Friday, Feb. 5.

Lindsey Vonn crashes 1 week before Winter Olympics

The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team first shared news of Vonn’s injury on X back on Jan. 30, writing in a statement at the time that Vonn “fell in the Crans Montana downhill” in Switzerland “and is being evaluated.”

In a statement shared to Instagram on Jan. 30, Vonn confirmed she was being evaluated for an injury to her left knee, writing at the time, “I am discussing the situation with my doctors and team and will continue to undergo further exams.”

At the time, Vonn said the incident was “a very difficult outcome one week before the Olympics… but if there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s a comeback.”

“My Olympic dream is not over,” she added.

According to The Associated Press, Vonn lost control while landing a jump at the top of the course and became tangled in the safety nets. She received medical attention for nearly five minutes before she was able to slowly ski to the finish line, the AP reported.

Vonn subsequently received medical attention at a tent on-site and was then airlifted by a helicopter.

Vonn was the third person to crash in the Crans-Montana World Cup race, per the AP, and the race was eventually canceled due to poor conditions.

The three-time Olympic medalist came out of retirement in 2024 to rejoin the U.S. Ski Team, six years after her most recent Olympics.

Vonn thanked the public and medical staff immediately following the crash, stating that she would “give more information when I have it.”

Vonn said she was also sending her best to 26-year-old Norwegian skier Marte Monsen, “who also had a major crash and injury today.”

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include the latest information about Vonn’s injury and crash.