Lindsey Vonn's comeback is imminent. The 82-time World Cup winner now explains on Instagram why she is returning to the slopes at the age of 40.
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- Lindsey Vonn explains on Instagram why she is returning to the World Cup at the age of 40.
- The American writes: "I'm rebuilding myself. Not just my knee, but also myself as a person."
- Vonn also explains that she doesn't need to prove anything to anyone: "I don't need the spotlight or the attention. I just want to do something that brings me joy."
Lindsey Vonn will make her comeback in the two Super-Gs in St. Moritz. Almost six years after her retirement, the 40-year-old is venturing back onto the World Cup ski slopes with a partially artificial knee joint. This brought her a lot of criticism, including from Swiss skiing legends, which Vonn in turn took as an opportunity to defend herself against the emerging voices.
Vonn also posted a video on Instagram showing her return from the operating theater to the ski slope. The American wrote that she has often been asked why she is doing this recently, explaining: "My life has taken me on a crazy rollercoaster of ups and downs, but despite everything I've been through, my 'why' has always been and always will be my love of skiing."
"I am so much stronger today than ever before"
Vonn also explains: "There is nothing that compares to the joy I feel when skiing at 80 km/h. It may seem crazy to some, but for me it's completely normal." Vonn writes that it was a difficult decision to have a partial knee replacement at her age and she didn't make this decision lightly: "I had hoped for an outcome that would allow me to be more active and live with less pain, but to be where I am today... I couldn't have dreamed of it!"
The 40-year-old also explains that it's about much more than just riding down the mountain: "This time it's about more than just getting myself back up. I'm building myself up again. Not just my knee, but also myself as a person. I am so much stronger today than ever before. I believe in myself. Regardless of my age or my past history."
She doesn't care what people say, she does it for herself: "I don't have to prove anything to anyone. I don't need the limelight or the attention. I just want to do something that brings me joy," says Vonn. The 82-time World Cup winner writes that she is not clinging to the past, but is looking forward to the future: "Call me naive, but I believe in the impossible. Because it's only impossible until someone does it."
She will fight to do what makes her happy: "I encourage everyone to do the same. Life is too short to sit on the sidelines."
