Entering the 2026 Olympics with a newly torn ACL, Team USA skiing icon Lindsey Vonn will race in the women’s downhill event on Sunday — with the 41-year-old using it as a test case before committing to additional events at the Winter Games.

Vonn is also hoping to compete in Tuesday’s team combined slalom event — possibly alongside fellow US star Mikaela Shiffrin — but the recent knee injury could derail her fifth, and likely final, Winter Olympics run.

“It will be objective performance that will define what our teams look like,” USA women’s skiing head coach Paul Kristofic clarified. “In the end, my job is to put the best pairings together so we can perform and get a medal and potentially win.”

With Vonn’s status technically still unclear, Italy is eyeing a home win, as 2018 gold medalist Sofia Goggia teams up with fellow decorated veteran Federica Brignone on Tuesday.

That said, Vonn successfully completed an early Friday training run — on the same Cortina course where she holds a record 12 World Cup wins.

“She was smart. She didn’t go all in,” said Vonn’s coach Aksel Lund Svindal after her 11th-place run. “There was reserves today…. It’s going to be hard but I think she could possibly [medal] on Sunday.”

“No one would have believed I would be here…but I made it!!” Vonn posted to social media prior to Friday’s downhill training. “I’m not going to waste this chance…. Let’s go get it!!”

How to watch Lindsey Vonn at the 2026 Winter Olympics downhill event

Vonn will make her 2026 Olympic debut in the women’s downhill event at 5:30 AM ET on Sunday, with live coverage airing on USA Network.