Lindsey Vonn Biography

Fast Facts

• Skied in her first Olympics, in Salt Lake City, at age 17 in 2002
• Suffered through a disappointing 2006 Winter Olympics after crashing in training, settling for seventh in the super-giant slalom and eighth in the downhill
• She was given the U
• S
• Olympic Spirit Award for her efforts
• Nominated for Best Female Athlete at the 2008 ESPY Awards, losing out to WNBA star Candace Parker
• Severed a tendon in her right thumb while celebrating her 2009 World Championships downhill title, accidentally grabbing a broken champagne bottle
• Vonn still raced a few days later
• Became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Games, adding a bronze medal in the Super G
• Crashed at the 2013 World Championships, tearing two ligaments in her knee and breaking her leg, but still claimed her sixth straight World Cup title in the downhill
• Re-injured her knee in November 2013 and ultimately pulled out of consideration for the 2014 Sochi Olympics
• Has won a total of 78 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup races throughout her career, which is an all-time American women's record
• Has won races in all five World Cup alpine skiing disciplines, one of only six racers to do so
• Is one of only two skiers to win four Ladies Overall Alpine World Cup championships