Lindsey Vonn Vows Return In Time For Sochi Olympics

Lindsey Vonn suffered a serious crash during Tuesday’s opening day of the Alpine World Championships in Australia. Now, the world class skier is vowing a return to competition in time for the Sochi Olympics.

Vonn tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) in her right knee. Vonn will undergo surgery to fix both tears and will then undergo intensive rehabilitation.

In a statement released to the Today Show Vonn thanked her fans for their “outpouring of support” and revealed: “I plan on returning to Vail as soon as I can to have the necessary surgeries.”

Vonn added:

“I can assure you that I will work as hard as humanly possible to be ready to represent my country next year in Sochi.”

U.S. ski team medical director Kyle Wilkens described Vonn’s broken bone as a “lateral tibial plateau fracture.” That injury involves a break in the shinbone which is used for stability and motion.

While the type of crash suffered by Lindsey Vonn is typical in the sport, it is still a serious issue that will take six to eight months of recuperation to heal.

U.S. speed coach Chip White told NBC News, “It was a very aggressive crash, [though] it’s an injury that’s not unusual in ski racing.” White added, “She was back in the hotel a couple hours after the accident. She was in good spirits, starting to plot out her rehab and next step, so I’m confident that we will see Lindsey Vonn in Sochi next year.”

Do you think Lindsey Vonn can rehabilitate from ACL and MCL tears in time to be competitive at the Sochi Olympics?