Lindsey Vonn crashed hard during her final downhill race ahead of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday and was airlifted to hospital.
The 41-year-old athlete — who is making a comeback to the sport — was competing at the World Cup event in Switzerland when she fell and slammed into the safety nets.
Lindsey remained on the ground for several minutes before she was able to get onto her feet but appeared in pain and was seen clutching her knee. She was able to ski down but was then airlifted from the mountain to hospital.
© Getty ImagesLindsey is due to compete for Team USA in the Winter Olympics which begins next week.
Reporters were met by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation's CEO Urs Lehmann at the finish line where he said: "I know she hurt her knee, I talked to her. I don't know if it's really heavy and (if) she won't miss the Olympics. Let's wait for what the doctors are saying."
© Getty ImagesLindsey made her comeback last season after six years away from the sport, and is competing with a partial titanium implant in her right knee. It appeared that it was her left knee that she injured in her latest fall.
The ski champion will be making history as the oldest female Alpine ski race competitor in The Games' history if she's able to compete.
She told People: "I want to show people that it's not a disadvantage to be old. I love challenging people's perspectives, and this is an amazing opportunity to do that. Also, my age is an advantage here," she added. "I've had a lot of experience as a veteran athlete. I've skied these tracks four times more than anyone else. Plus, I like breaking records. So if I'm the oldest woman? So be it."
Talking of why she wanted to return to the sport after her knee replacement, she told the outlet: "I didn't have any pain at all, my knee didn’t swell. I felt like I could do anything. The thought of ski racing again, something I loved to do so much, but without pain, was really exciting."
