After coming out of retirement over a year ago with the goal of returning to the Olympics, Lindsey Vonn has achieved the impressive feat of qualifying for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina, Italy. The 41-year-old turned to social media to announce she would be representing the United States once again in ski racing to cap off her historic comeback.

“I am honored to be able to represent my country one more time, in my fifth and final Olympics!” Vonn wrote on Instagram. “When I made the decision to return to ski racing, I always had one eye on Cortina because it's a place that is very, very special to me.”

The 41-year-old previously left the sport due to a number of injuries. Vonn reported that she's suffered broken bones, torn ligaments, and concussions that caused her to have nine surgeries and led to her 2019 retirement. Now, she's battled back and reclaimed her position at the top of the sport before attempting to secure her fourth Olympic medal.

“Although I can't guarantee any outcomes, I can guarantee that I will give my absolute best every time I kick out of the starting gate,” Vonn continued. “No matter how these games end up, I feel like I've already won. I am grateful for how the season has gone so far, but I am just getting started.”

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The four-time Olympian and three-time medalist has shown she still possesses her former dominance in recent events. Vonn had four podium finishes in her last five World Cup races, including a downhill skiing win that nabbed her a historic 83rd-career World Cup victory earlier in December. She made sure to emphasize that she wanted to have a string of races that would earn her a spot in the Olympics.

“It was very important to me that I qualified based on my performance and results this season and not based on what was done in the past,” Vonn said. “My skiing had to earn this spot, and I'm proud to have done that.”