Olympic Ski Racer Lindsey Vonn Delivers Speech At USC Commencement
TL;DR
Lindsey Vonn delivered an inspiring speech at USC's commencement, reflecting on her historic comeback to ski racing at age 41. Despite suffering a torn ACL and a crash during the 2026 Olympics, she emphasized the importance of perseverance.
Key points
- Lindsey Vonn spoke at USC Annenberg School commencement
- She made a comeback to ski racing at age 41
- Vonn competed in the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics
- She suffered a torn ACL before the Olympics
- Vonn crashed and fractured her tibia during the downhill race
Mentioned in this story
Olympic alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn delivered an inspirational speech during the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism commencement ceremony on Friday.
Vonn made a historic comeback to ski racing at age 41Â to return to the Olympics. After overcoming a long stretch of knee injuries throughout her career, Vonn competed in the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics despite suffering a torn ACL just a week before the opening ceremony.
[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Feb 6, 2026; Cortina dâAmpezzo, ITALY; Lindsey Vonn of the United States in the finish area during womenâs downhill training during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. Mandatory Credit: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters via Imagn Images
She crashed 13 seconds into the womenâs downhill race on Feb. 8, fracturing her tibia in her left leg. Although Vonnâs race did not go as ahead had hoped, she said she was proud of herself for believing she could still compete regardless of the obstacles she had faced.
Addressing more than 1,200 graduates, Vonnâs message to the Trojans was to view failure as part of the path to success and to not be afraid to try.
âStep into your own gate. Dare to dream. Even when itâs hard. Even when the outcome is uncertain. Even when people think youâre crazy for trying. Jump. Because the only real failure in this life is not trying,â Vonn said in her speech.
âWhat I keep thinking about, lying in my hospital bed, is exactly what I want to leave you with today. As I said earlier, Iâm not up here to tell you how to win. Iâm up here to tell you how to keep going when you fall. And why, if you do, the winning will come,â Vonn said.
Vonn has a long road to recovery from the ACL tear and tibia fracture. But she has yet to rule out making another return to skiing. The earliest she could return is the 2027-28 ski season.
Photo Credit: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters via Imagn Images
The post Olympic Ski Racer Lindsey Vonn Delivers Speech At USC Commencement appeared first on LA Sports Report.
Q&A
What did Lindsey Vonn say in her USC commencement speech?
Lindsey Vonn's speech focused on perseverance and overcoming obstacles, highlighting her journey back to competitive skiing.
What challenges did Lindsey Vonn face during her Olympic comeback?
Vonn faced significant challenges, including a torn ACL just before the Olympics and a crash that resulted in a fractured tibia during the downhill race.
When did Lindsey Vonn compete in the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics?
Lindsey Vonn competed in the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in February 2026.
