Lindsey Vonn reflects on inner journey behind ski racing comeback: 'I believe in the impossible'
The three-time Olympic medallist explains what motivated her to return to racing at 40: “I am not holding on to the past, I am embracing the future,” she shared on social media.
Alpine Skiing
‘Why are you doing this?’ is the question alpine skiing great Lindsey Vonn has been asked many times since announcing her competitive comeback to the sport last month.
Ahead of her highly anticipated return to World Cup racing this weekend in St. Moritz, Switzerland, after nearly six years away, the Vancouver 2010 gold medallist took to her social media platforms to explain the reasons behind her return to the sport at 40 years old.
“I am not holding on to the past, I am embracing the future,” Vonn wrote in a post on Wednesday (18 December).
“Call me naive, but I believe in the impossible. Because it’s only impossible until someone does it,” she added.
Her words were accompanied by a motivational video reel documenting her knee replacement surgery and the subsequent rehabilitation process.
Lindsey Vonn: 'I am not just a skier'
“I am not just a skier. I am a strong woman who loves to ski,” the American wrote.
The four-time overall World Cup winner shared that her beloved sport is only part of a ‘bigger’ journey, one that saw her successfully move on after her retirement from ski racing. Growing her business and focusing on her foundation, which serves underprivileged girls, have been her focus since.
However, “even though I am very happy, there is still nothing like the joy I get from skiing 80mph,” she added. “While that may seem crazy to some, it seems very normal to me.”
Vonn revealed that during her time away from competition, she had the chance to reflect on her purpose in life, and coming back to racing now has a deeper meaning for her: “This time, it’s more than just picking myself back up. I’m rebuilding myself,” she explained, adding that she’s never felt stronger or had more self-belief.
The Team USA legend explains that she came back for herself and not to prove anything to anybody. “I will fight to do what makes me happy,” she wrote before concluding her post with a message of encouragement for everyone: “Life is too short to sit on the sidelines. Let’s get back in the game💪🏻”