Lindsey Vonn is well aware of the modern athletic landscape names like Tom Brady, Simone Biles, Novak Djokovic, and even LeBron James all come to mind. Speaking in early January after her astonishing comeback at 40, she pointed out that LeBron, just a few months younger than she is, continues to break records with every game. Despite criticism one retired skier even suggested she’s “gone completely mad” and is just chasing attention Vonn remains unfazed.
Last summer in Paris, she witnessed Simone Biles, at 27 the oldest U.S. gymnast to compete in the Olympics since 1952, surpass what many believed were the physical limits of her sport. When some joked about calling Biles “grandma,” Vonn coolly noted that no one has ever said that to her face.
Reflecting on comments from Tom Brady about how outdated methods still judge older elite athletes, Vonn agreed wholeheartedly. She explained that comparisons between athletes now and those from just ten years ago are unfair because our understanding of human performance has evolved dramatically. Today, an athlete’s success hinges on skill and experience qualities she’s honed over decades in a sport where every move is calculated, much like how Brady’s renowned intelligence underpins his game.
Vonn’s remarkable return wasn’t a premeditated plan; it evolved naturally as she coped with a string of injuries that eventually forced her into retirement in 2019. After 15 seasons and 82 World Cup wins a record for female racers at the time she had reached a point of physical and emotional exhaustion. Yet during retirement, while exploring other passions like windsurfing and polo (even surviving a back injury from a fall off a horse), she also continued to travel, ski for pleasure on new slopes, and empower young women in the sport.
Her journey back began when she sought out expert medical advice. While nearly every doctor recommended a full knee replacement, one specialist, Dr. Martin Roche, took a different approach. Roche discovered a bone cyst from one of her ACL surgeries and instead performed a robot-assisted partial knee replacement. The transformation was profound suddenly, the constant pain was gone, and she found herself capable of long training sessions reminiscent of her younger days.
Now, Vonn trains with some of the world’s top competitors and has even returned to World Cup racing, achieving respectable results with finishes just shy of the podium. She’s adapting to new equipment and reclaiming her confidence on the slopes, all while challenging outdated views on aging in sport. For Vonn, the comeback isn’t just about defying expectations, it’s a testament to dreaming big, embracing modern medical breakthroughs, and ultimately, staying true to the little girl who once dreamed of Olympic glory.
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