Originally appeared on E! Online
Lindsey Vonn will always keep those icy slopes near her heart.
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WATCH HERESix months after the Olympic skier announced her return to the sport, she shared the inspirational reason behind her decision to compete again.
“I have a new knee and I’m finally healthy again,” Vonn recalled in an exclusive interview with E! News March 22 at Team USA’s Nonnas Experience. “This time around is different because I’ve been retired for five years."
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READ Why Lindsey Vonn Is Living Her Best Life After Retirement
The 40-year-old retired from skiing in 2019 due to her knee pain. Vonn had a partial knee replacement four years later, but she didn’t start teasing the end of her retirement until September 2024. Nonetheless, beyond being “older and wiser,” she knew she wanted to give skiing a second shot sooner than later.
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“It’s not so much a learning curve,” she continued. “It’s just tinkering with my equipment and getting it dialed in, which takes time. I don’t have that much time, but I think I figured it out.”
Indeed, the gold medalist has been fine tuning her skills, as she competed in two races last December. ICYMI, she started her comeback run at the FIS Fall Festival before finishing in 14th place at the World Cup downhill championship later that month. Then in April, she won second place at the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, proving she hasn’t lost her skiing magic in her years away from the sport.
In fact, Vonn isn’t letting her age dictate this new phase of her career.
“Age is just a number,” she explained. “I think there are a lot of opportunities for us to continue to do what we love to do, no matter what age we are. Society wants to say that we have to do things at a certain time, but we really don’t.”
She also believes that every athlete, despite their age, should “do what you love.”
“If you are determined, you work hard and your body’s working,” she added, “I’d say go for it.”
