Tiger Woods’ ex Lindsey Vonn makes US Winter Olympics squad at 41 after miracle comeback from knee replacement surgery

SKIING LEGEND Lindsey Vonn will be the star name of the largest USA squad ever sent to a Winter Olympics.

At the age of 41, Vonn will seek her fourth Olympic medal when she takes to the slopes at next month’s Milan-Cortina Games.

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Skier Lindsey Vonn is set to star in the Winter OlympicsCredit: Getty
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She used to date Tiger Woods for two yearsCredit: Getty
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Vonn has three Olympic medalsCredit: Instagram / @lindseyvonn
Vonn – who dated golfing superstar Tiger Woods for two years –cemented herself in the history books 16 years ago when she became Olympic downhill champion at the Vancouver Games.

At that same event in 2010, she also claimed Super-G bronze – and then eight years later in PyeongChang, she earned downhill bronze.

What makes Vonn’s appearance in the field so significant is that she has made a winning comeback from knee replacement surgery that she feared would curtail her decorated career.

Vonn, who has a titanium implant in her right knee, only decided to return to the sport in November 2024 after nearly six years out.

After five rounds of the nine-race World Cup downhill circuit, Vonn leads the standings of the 50-woman series with 400 points – 144 points clear of German Emma Aicher.

And even though she is still competing as quickly as she has ever done into her fifth decade, she will be expected to contest for a medal in the Italian Alps.

The Minnesota-born athlete, who will garner plenty of attention and headlines, is among seven Americans named to their fifth United States Olympic team.

The other six veterans are Evan Bates (figure skating), Nick Baumgartner (snowboarding), Kaillie Humphries (bobsleigh) Hilary Knight (ice hockey), Elana Meyers Taylor (bobsleigh) and Faye Thelen (snowboarding).

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A record 232-member squad – including 98 with prior Olympic experience – was announced on Monday by the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) for the Italian Games, which open on Friday February 6.

The breakdown includes 115 women and 117 men with freeskier Abby Winterberger the youngest athlete at age 15 – and curling competitor Rich Ruohonen the oldest at 54.

The team consists of 33 Olympic medalists and 18 Olympic champions with a combined 22 gold medals.

The largest prior US Olympic squad had been 228 athletes in South Korea eight years ago.

This will be the fourth Games for Mikaela Shiffrin (alpine skiing) and the third for Chloe Kim (snowboarding), and both are two-time gold medalists
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Sochi Games and 23 players are set to make their Olympic debut this time.

The large and well-funded United States have only topped the standings at the Winter Olympics once – in 1932 – and they finished third on the medal table in Beijing with nine golds.

USOPC chief executive officer Sarah Hirshland said: “Today we proudly introduce the 2026 US Olympic team – a group of extraordinary athletes whose commitment, perseverance and spirit reflect the very best of Team USA.

“Congratulations to each member of this extraordinary team who have earned their chance to represent the United States on the biggest stage in sport.”

US Chef de Mission Rocky Harris called the American lineup “a team full of proven champions and fearless newcomers that have the potential to take Team USA’s winter performance to a new level and inspire a nation in the process”.

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Vonn won her first medals at Vancouver 2010Credit: Getty
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She is the star of Team USACredit: Instagram / @lindseyvonn