Leonhard Foeger/Reuters via Imagn Images

Lindsey Vonn Reacts to Olympic Skier's Winter Games Comeback

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Zahid Rashid | Last updated Feb 12, 2026 11:05 AM ET

While Lindsey Vonn's comeback at the 2026 Winter Olympics didn’t go according to plan, Italian skier Federica Brignone’s was one for the history books. Less than a year after suffering a career-threatening injury at the Italian Alpine Ski Championships, the 35-year-old defied the odds to win her maiden Olympic gold medal on Thursday.

Racing in the women’s super-G on a challenging and foggy Olimpia delle Tofane course, Brignone produced one of the greatest runs of her career, blasting through the finish line in 1:23.41 to secure the first Olympic gold medal of her illustrious career. She edged French skier Romane Miradoli by 0.41 seconds, while Austria’s Cornelia Huetter claimed the bronze in 1:23.93.

It wasn’t as easy as Brignone made it look, with 10 of the first 24 starters failing to finish, including her teammate Sofia Goggia and Team USA’s Breezy Johnson, who walked away from a high-speed crash.

Federica Brignone celebrates after winning a gold medal at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.Michael Madrid-Imagn Images

Brignone's victory marks one of the best feel-good stories of the 2026 Winter Games, and while Vonn's comeback story may have ended in heartbreak, she was elated for the Italian skier. Taking to X, the three-time Olympic medalist wrote, "Congrats Fede!! What an incredible comeback!!"

Congrats Fede!! What an incredible comeback!! https://t.co/d0IAfseCwh
— lindsey vonn (@lindseyvonn) February 12, 2026

Brignone had been doubtful for the Games after suffering fractures to the tibia and fibula in her left leg, along with a torn ACL, last April. However, she recovered in time to return for the World Cup in late January and now completes her Olympic medal set after winning silver at the Beijing Games in 2022 and bronze at PyeongChang in 2018.

Vonn, meanwhile, was also doubtful after suffering an ACL injury in the lead-up to the Games. Although she ultimately chose to race, she crashed just 13 seconds into her first run and had to be airlifted to a hospital.

Vonn sustained a complex tibia fracture that required multiple surgeries. While her recovery appears to be progressing well, marked by a successful third surgery on Wednesday, her Winter Olympics campaign, and possibly her alpine skiing career, now appear to be over.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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