Lindsey Vonn Got a Knee Replacement.Can She Get to the 2026 Olympics?

WHEN LINDSEY VONN underwent a partial knee replacement last April, it seemed a mere postscript to her stellar career. She had already been retired from ski racing for more than five years. And after a string of injuries, surgery felt like a natural conclusion.

- RACHEL BACHMAN

But instead of simply patching up the damage to Vonn's knee and ending her days on the slopes, the surgery has marked a new beginning for one of the greatest skiers of all time.

Against all odds - and testing the limits of science and human resilience - the 40-year-old Vonn returned in a World Cup Super G race on Dec. 21 in St. Moritz, Switzerland, finishing 14th.

More than a traditional sports comeback story, her return to competition turns Vonn into a fascinating case study for how far joint-replacement surgeries have progressed and what these repairs can mean for athletes of all abilities - particularly with more people undergoing them at younger ages. If she can overcome the considerable risks and prove to be competitive again, Vonn could become a shining example for what is possible after major knee surgery.

"I can't tell you how big of a difference it makes to be able to ski without pain," Vonn said after a test run down a downhill course last week. "It's a completely new world for me. I haven't felt this good in 15 years."