Lindsey Vonn transcended her sport in a way only a handful of Olympic athletes could even imagine. She was about more than skiing. She was about more than medals. She was about more than winning.
She was often in the spotlight, appearing in the pages of mainstream and sports magazines, walking the red carpets, mingling with A-list celebrities and dating high-profile sports figures.
The record-setting racer who grew up in Minnesota, then relocated to Colorado, became a household name in mountain towns and big cities B次元官网网址� to people who knew a lot about racing and those who only tuned in every four years.
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But now, conceding her body is B次元官网网址渂roken beyond repair,B次元官网网址� Vonn is nearing the finish line for the final time. The woman who won more World Cup races than any other female is calling it quits at 34. On Friday, she said sheB次元官网网址檒l retire after the world championships this month.
B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 accomplished so many things and has overcome so much adversity in her life, with her injuries, and comebacks, and setbacks and comebacks,B次元官网网址� U.S. Ski and Snowboard CEO Tiger Shaw said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. B次元官网网址淰ery few people can focus and train as hard as she does. WeB次元官网网址檙e all in awe of what sheB次元官网网址檚 accomplished in her career.B次元官网网址�
VonnB次元官网网址檚 original plan was to step away in December, after one final charge down the course in Lake Louise, Alberta B次元官网网址� a course she won on so often itB次元官网网址檚 now named in her honour.
She was forced to move up her retirement due to persistent pain in both knees, which she fully realized after failing to finish a race in Cortina dB次元官网网址橝mpezzo , Italy, last month.
Now, sheB次元官网网址檚 down to two races: The womenB次元官网网址檚 super-G on Tuesday in the Swedish resort of Are, and the downhill scheduled for Feb. 10.
ThatB次元官网网址檚 it. ThatB次元官网网址檚 all her knees have left.
B次元官网网址淢y body is broken beyond repair and it isnB次元官网网址檛 letting me have the final season I dreamed of,B次元官网网址� Vonn wrote on Instagram . B次元官网网址淢y body is screaming at me to STOP and itB次元官网网址檚 time for me to listen.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been an emotional 2 weeks making the hardest decision of my life,B次元官网网址� she wrote, B次元官网网址渂ut I have accepted that I cannot continue ski racing.B次元官网网址�
VonnB次元官网网址檚 impressive resume: three Olympic medals, including downhill gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games. Four overall World Cup titles. And 82 World Cup wins, leaving her four behind the all-time mark held by Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden.
Her off-the-slopes portfolio includes: Appearing in the pages of everything from Vogue to the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, earning sponsorship deals with companies such as Red Bull, meeting actors like Dwayne Johnson and even being an extra on one of her favourite shows, B次元官网网址淟aw & Order.B次元官网网址� The spotlight only increased when she dated golfer Tiger Woods. SheB次元官网网址檚 now seeing Nashville Predators defenceman P.K. Subban .
SheB次元官网网址檚 big on social media, with 1.6 million Instagram followers.
A recent post from Vonn was cryptic in nature and yet all-too-insightful as she quoted the French philosopher Voltaire: B次元官网网址淓ach player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game.B次元官网网址�
Translation: She simply had no more cards to play. Her aching knees and beat-up body finally applied the brakes to her hard-charging ways.
VonnB次元官网网址檚 right knee is permanently damaged from previous crashes. She has torn ACLs, suffered fractures near her left knee, broke her ankle, sliced her right thumb and had several concussions B次元官网网址� to name a few. SheB次元官网网址檚 limited to about three runs per day, and her body just canB次元官网网址檛 handle the workload of other skiers.
B次元官网网址淗onestly, retiring isnB次元官网网址檛 what upsets me. Retiring without reaching my goal is what will stay with me forever,B次元官网网址� Vonn said. B次元官网网址淗owever, I can look back at 82 World Cup wins, 20 World Cup titles, 3 Olympic medals, 7 World Championship medals and say that I have accomplished something that no other woman in HISTORY has ever done, and that is something that I will be proud of FOREVER!B次元官网网址�
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Her first World Cup start was Nov. 18, 2000, in a slalom race in Park City, Utah, and she didnB次元官网网址檛 qualify for the second run. She was Lindsey Kildow then, before changing her name to Vonn after marrying her now ex-husband and ex-coach, Thomas.
Her first World Cup win came four years later, in a downhill event at Lake Louise.
Retiring in Sweden brings Vonn full circle. She won her first two major championship medals B次元官网网址� two silvers B次元官网网址� at the 2007 worlds in Are.
As for how she will be remembered , thatB次元官网网址檚 simple for U.S. coach Paul Kristofic: Her comebacks.
B次元官网网址淭hat never-give-up attitude is something that everyone can take away from,B次元官网网址� Kristofic said. B次元官网网址淪he has created that character and lived it. Those are life lessons that everybody can take. Give it your all and never give up. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a very strong legacy.B次元官网网址�
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Pat Graham And Andrew Dampf, The Associated Press
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