One day after tearing two knee ligaments, Lindsey Vonn released a statement on Wednesday vowing to do everything she can to get back in time for the Winter Olympics next year in Sochi. The recovery process will start next week, as the the U.S. Ski Team announced that she would have surgery on her torn ACL and MCL in Vail, Colo.
Lindsey Vonn injury: Team USA star will have surgery on torn ACL, MCL next week
Lindsey Vonn’s recovery process will start early next week as she is set to travel from Austria back to the USA for surgery on her torn ACL and MCL.
Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom
Vonn thanked the medical staff on site of the crash in Austria, but said she’ll be getting back to the USA as soon as she can for surgery set for “early next week.” As soon as news of the diagnosis surfaced, speculation turned to Vonn’s ability to recover in time for Sochi. She addressed that process in her first public remarks (via AP):
“I am grateful to my fans for the outpouring of support, which has really helped me stay positive,” Vonn said in a statement on Wednesday, a day after her crash in Schladming. “I can assure you that I will work as hard as humanly possible to be ready to represent my country next year in Sochi.”
It’s obviously early to project the recovery time for Vonn, but the crash occurred almost exactly one year before the opening of the games in Sochi. Some doctors have predicted an eight month recovery but team doctor William Sterett said he’ll have a more official timetable for her return to skiing after surgery next week.
The surgery by Sterett will repair the two torn ligaments, although Vonn also sustained a leg fracture that will not need to be operated on.
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