One of the biggest names in downhill ski racing will once again compete on the world’s biggest stage. After a stellar performance in last week’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup competition, Lindsey Vonn has qualified for the Downhill event in the 2026 Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
“I am honored to be able to represent my country one more time, in my 5th and final Olympics!” Vonn wrote in a post to Instagram, announcing her Olympic qualification. “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.”
Olympic Qualification: Vonn’s Reaction
Vonn made headlines last year when she announced her return to the FIS racing circuit at the age of 40. After a knee replacement and 5 years in retirement, she started racing again at the Stifel St. Moritz World Cup in December 2024 against much younger skiers.
“Life is too short to sit on the sidelines,” she wrote in an Instagram post about coming out of retirement.
The upcoming Milan-Cortina Games will be Vonn’s fifth Olympics.
In her previous four Olympic appearances, Vonn has won one gold (2010, Downhill) and two bronze (2010, Super-G; 2018, Downhill). While expectations will certainly be high for the star, Vonn is focused on giving it her all.
“Although I can’t guarantee any outcomes, I can guarantee that I will give my absolute best every time I kick out of the starting gate,” she wrote on Instagram. “No matter how these games end up, I feel like I’ve already won.”
How Does Qualifying Work?
Qualifying for the Olympics in alpine skiing is a two-step process. First, athletes must meet an eligibility requirement that is determined by their performance in International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) events. Some speed events, such as Downhill and Super-G, require athletes to obtain a top-30 finish in World Cup or World Championship races.
From there, it’s up to each country’s governing sports body to decide which athletes make the team. U.S. Ski and Snowboarding says that “athletes are primarily named to the team primarily based on objective criteria including World Cup competition results.”
The U.S. Alpine Ski team can bring 11 athletes of each gender to the Olympics.
Vonn qualified as a result of her recent performances at FIS World Cup races. Last week, she took third in Super-G and Downhill in Val d’Isere. Prior to that, she smashed her competition at St. Moritz, Switzerland, winning the Downhill race by over a full second.
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