Ageless wonder Lindsey Vonn qualifies for 5th Olympics

Lindsey Vonn continued to defy Father Time on Tuesday by qualifying for the 2026 Winter Olympics. 

The 41-year-old, who grew up skiing at Buck Hill in Burnsville, will represent Team USA at Milano Corina in Italy, with the games taking place February 6-22. 

It's a shocking turn of events for Vonn, who retired in 2019 only to return to competitive skiing in November 2024. She's since found the fountain of youth, having won her 83rd career World Cup downhill event earlier this month in Switzerland. 

It was her first win since 2018, and at 41, she became the oldest World Cup champion in the sport's history. She followed up by taking silver in another downhill event the next day, and this past weekend she earned a bronze medal in a Super G event in France. 

"I am honored to be able to represent my country one more time, in my 5th and final Olympics!" Vonn announced on her Instagram page. "When I made the decision to return to ski racing, I always had one eye on Cortina because it’s a place that is very, very special to me. Although I can’t guarantee any outcomes, I can guarantee that I will give my absolute best every time l kick out of the starting gate. No matter how these games end up, I feel like I’ve already won."

Vonn, who competed in the 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2018 Olympics, is the winningest downhill skier of all time. In the latest World Cup standings, Vonn is No. 1 in the downhill, and No. 3 in the Super G. 

"I am grateful for how the season has gone so far, but I am just getting started," Vonn said.