Lindsey Vonn, 40, Becomes Oldest Woman Ever to Podium at World Cup — Her First Since Career Comeback
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty
Lindsey Vonn celebrates her second place win at the World Cup on March 23.Lindsey Vonn is smashing her sports comeback!
The Olympian, 40, broke the record as the oldest woman to have a podium finish at a World Cup after placing second in the Super-G race at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup finals in Idaho on Sunday, March 23.
The event also marked Vonn's first podium since coming out of retirement for the competition in January, finishing 1.29 seconds in second place behind first-place winner Swiss Lara Gut-Behrami.
Vonn posted a photo on her Instagram Stories after the race of her appearing teary-eyed at the podium as she collected her medal, holding it up and kissing it proudly.
“This means so much to me ❤️,” she wrote over the image.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom/Getty
Lindsey Vonn competes in the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup.Vonn also posted a clip of herself being handed a cup of champagne at the slopes and drinking it while throwing up a peace sign at the camera in celebration of her win as Cyndi Lauper’s song “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” soundtracked the moment.
The longtime athlete told NBC Sports that she "put it all on the line" for the last race in the competition and feels she’s “proved everyone wrong" who doubted her capabilities in returning to the sport.
“This is the level that I know I can ski. I know I can even do better than that,” said Vonn. “It’s been a rough season of people saying that I can’t, that I’m too old, that I’m not good enough anymore. I think I proved everyone wrong.”
Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty
Lindsey Vonn celebrates her second place win at the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup.In a video shared on the official Audi FIS World Cup Instagram, Vonn is seen pumping her fists in the air and cheering along with the crowd in celebration after completing her race at the bottom of the slopes in Sun Valley.
“What a moment! 🥹,” the caption read. “@lindseyvonn 🇺🇸 is BACK ON THE WORLD CUP PODIUM!”
Vonn’s record as the oldest podium finisher comes after Austrian Alexandra Meissnitzer made her last podium as the oldest skier in 2008 at 34 years and nearly 9 months, per NBC Sports.
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
Vonn told NBC Sports it's been “hard to stay positive” in planning her comeback to the sport. “Especially because people are telling me that I should just quit — again,” she noted.
“When you love something and you work hard at something, it feels really good when you’re finally rewarded,” shared Vonn. She added of completing the race, “It was joy. It was a relief. It was satisfaction in the fact that this adventure that I set myself on is worth something.”
Vonn previously took sixth place in the Audi FIS Ski World Cup competition in her first return to the World Cup downhill slopes in St. Anton, Austria, on Saturday, Jan. 11.
Read the original article on People
Topics
-
Lindsey Vonn concludes ‘impossible’ comeback at 40 with first podium since 2018
40-year-old finishes second in Sunday’s Super-G Lara Gut-Behrami clinches first place and title Lindsey Vonn concluded her comeback season at the age of 40 with a second-place finish in a World ...The Guardian - 2d -
Lindsey Vonn is back. American is oldest woman to medal at a World Cup
Lindsey Vonn retired in 2019 but came back this season at age 40. Sunday she landed her first World Cup podium since her return.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Vonn takes first comeback podium as Gut-Behrami wins World Cup super-G title
Lindsey Vonn claimed the first podium finish of her comeback on Sunday when the 40-year-old skiing superstar finished second to Lara Gut-Behrami who captured a record sixth World Cup women's ...Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Vonn closes season with first podium since '18
Lindsey Vonn concluded her comeback season at age 40 with a second-place finish in a World Cup super-G race that was won by Swiss standout Lara Gut-Behrami.ESPN - 2d -
Lindsey Vonn, other top skiers, showing that age really is just a number
Lindsey Vonn finished second in the super-G, making her, at 40, the oldest woman to make a World Cup podiumYahoo Sports - 1d -
Lindsey Vonn takes 2nd in the final World Cup race of her comeback season, Lara Gut-Behrami wins
Lindsey Vonn concluded her comeback season at age 40 with a second-place finish in a World Cup super-G race Sunday that was won by Swiss standout Lara Gut-Behrami. Vonn found her vintage form ...Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Lindsey Vonn reveling in being back at World Cup finals and an unexpected second act
Lindsey Vonn will become oldest woman to compete at World Cup finals, qualifying for both the downhill and super-G in Sun Valley.Yahoo Sports - 3d -
Lindsey Vonn becomes oldest woman to medal in a World Cup race after coming out of retirement
Vonn, 40, earned silver in the super-G at Sun Valley, her first medal since returning four months agoCBS Sports - 1d -
Lindsey Vonn makes history with second-place finish in World Cup race
Lindsey Vonn’s return to the podium — six years since stepping away from ski racing, 11 months since her partial knee replacement, four months since announcing her return — hit her hard in the ...NBC News - 1d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Sterling's Madison Austin named All-State second team by Illinois Media
Mar. 25—The Illinois Media All-State girls basketball teams were released Tuesday, with a trio of Sauk Valley area players earning spots. In Class 3A, Sterling senior Madison Austin was voted to ...Yahoo Sports - 16m -
Shedeur Sanders landing spots: Where QB could end up after Russell Wilson, Giants deal
Russell Wilson is the latest free agent quarterback to sign with a new team this offseason. Here's what that means for Shedeur Sanders' future home.Yahoo Sports - 16m -
2025 Sauk Valley baseball preview capsules
Mar. 25—Ashton-Franklin Center Coach: Brian Treadwell (third season) 2024: 10-13, 3-7 NUIC South (fifth place) Returning varsity: Brock Lehman, sr., C/IF/P; Barrett Becker, sr., IF; Nate Becker, ...Yahoo Sports - 17m -
Stanford women remain unbeaten, beats stacked field in Charles Schwab at Colonial
The Stanford women's golf team hasn't lost in stroke play (or match play) in almost a year.Yahoo Sports - 22m -
Oregon State Guard Nate Kingz Enters Transfer Portal
USA TODAY PROMO: Join BeaversEdge.com and get 30 DAYS FREE!MORE: Rataj & Craig Entering Portal | Preview: Beavers vs Huskies | Beaver Baseball Ranks | Reser Files: Scouting Report DL Noah ...Yahoo Sports - 22m
More in Sports
-
Jimmy's back in Miami: Follow live as the Warriors visit the Heat
The Golden State Warriors take on the Miami Heat with Jimmy Butler returning to face the team that traded him in January.ESPN - 8m -
Follow live: Rivals Brazil, Argentina meet in World Cup qualifier
nullESPN - 8m -
Ronaldo: Penalty miss? Knew Portugal would win
Cristiano Ronaldo had no doubt that Portugal would progress to the UEFA Nations League semifinals even after missing a penalty on Sunday.ESPN - 13m -
Blatter, Platini cleared in FIFA corruption case
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and France great Michel Platini were both cleared of corruption charges by a Swiss court on Tuesday.ESPN - 13m -
Güler, Szoboszlai continue feud: 'This guy a joke'
Real Madrid star Arda Güler called Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai "a joke" on Monday after the pair clashed in the UEFA Nations League game between Turkey and Hungary.ESPN - 13m