Olympic ski racing champ Lindsey Vonn tore two ligaments in her right knee and broke a bone in her lower leg after loosing control during a run at the Alpine world championship yesterday, the Associate Press reports, adding that Vonn plans on having reconstructive surgery next week in Colorado and expects to be ready to compete at the 2012 Winter Olympics.
The 28-year-old defending Olympic downhill gold medalist took a hard spill after 42 seconds into her opening run at the Super-G race when she made a left turn down a slope, went airborne, and crashed down the course. For twelve minutes medical staff tended to her injuries before she was airlifted to the hospital. She was released later in the day and returned to her hotel.
"I am grateful to my fans for the outpouring of support, which has really helped me stay positive," Vonn said in a statement. "I can assure you that I will work as hard as humanly possible to be ready to represent my country next year in Sochi."
Vonn tore her anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in her right knee, reports say. The broken bone was described as a lateral tibial plateau fracture and will not require surgery. No date has been set for Vonn's return to racing and doctors say she will be out for alteast eight months.
"She's intently focusing on the next step and the next step now is getting from point A to point B, with point B being next season," said team physician William Sterett. "She's determined and upbeat."
U.S. Team members expect Vonn to be ready for the next World Cup season, reports say.
For Vonn, Tuesday's crash wasn't a first. The four time world champion has a history of accidents on the race course but has always managed to return to her skis. Two years ago Vonn sustained a concussion after crashing at the world championships. During the 2006 Olympics, Vonn crashed and brusied her back and returned days later to compete. In the 2010 winter Olympic games, she broke a thump and injured her finger.