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LINDSEY VONN HAS been airlifted from the slopes after she crashed out of the women’s downhill at the Winter Olympics on Sunday, failing in her audacious bid to medal in her favoured discipline at the Milan-Cortina Games.
The American star had been trying to claim her fourth Olympic medal despite suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee just over a week ago, but her race ended early in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
She cried in anguish and pain after her awful fall high up the course, medical staff surrounding the distraught 41-year-old on the piste.
Vonn hit the firm snow face first after just 13 seconds of her descent. She then rolled down the slope with her skis still attached, which could likely cause further serious damage to her knee.
Vonn’s Olympic dream now lies in tatters just seconds into her brave effort to achieve the seemingly impossible, an attempt which ended with her being taken away in a helicopter as fans in the stands saluted her with loud applause.
Her teammate Breezy Johnson held her face in shock from the leader’s chair, the world downhill champion in front of Germany’s Emma Aicher by just 0.04sec following her powerful run.
Written by AFP and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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