Veteran skier Lindsey Vonn has disputed a doctor’s claim that her anterior cruciate ligament injury is not a “fresh tear”, saying her ACL is “100% gone”.
American Vonn has now completed two impressive Winter Olympics training runs at Olimpia delle Tofane in Cortina, only one week after rupturing her ACL in a crash at a World Cup race in Switzerland.
Vonn, 41, clocked the third-fastest time of the day in another session disrupted by the weather, prompting speculation about what is considered to be a serious injury.
The second practice run came after she responded to a social media post from sports medicine doctor Brian Sutterer in which he claimed the 2010 Olympic downhill champion may have already been functioning on a torn ACL before the crash, which saw her airlifted to hospital.
“What was the state of her ACL before the crash last week?” Sutterer wrote.
“What she is doing now would not be nearly as surprising in an elite athlete whose knee was already functioning like the ACL was torn at baseline.”
Vonn replied: “Lol thanks doc. My ACL was fully functioning until last Friday. Just because it seems impossible to you doesn’t mean it’s not possible. And yes, my ACL is 100% ruptured. Not 80% or 50%. It’s 100% gone.”
Sutterer suggested that “someone who had a prior tear/surgery may not be as swollen and painful with a repeat injury” and “the body has time to adapt and retrain muscles to support the knee” if the injury is “chronic”.
Vonn was 1.39 seconds off the fastest time of the day in Friday’s training session, which took place in difficult weather and surface conditions.
On Saturday she improved on her time, completing the run in one minute 38.28 seconds, 0.37 seconds off compatriot Breezy Johnson, who clocked the fastest run, and more than six seconds faster than the first run.
Vonn is due to compete in Sunday’s downhill competition but remains uncertain as to whether she will compete in the super-G and team events.