American skier Lindsey Vonn has undergone her ninth surgery following a severe injury sustained at the Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The operation involved the removal of a plate and screw from her left leg and the reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament, which she said went well.
Vonn addressed the public before the procedure, stating: "I am praying that this is also my last surgery." After the operation, she spoke again to confirm that the procedure had been successfully completed. She posted a short video on social media showing the removed metal parts in a bag, commenting: "They took all of this out of my leg."
The injury occurred under a series of difficult circumstances for Vonn. At the end of January, she suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in a World Cup race in Crans Montana, yet she still competed at the Olympic Games. There, she suffered another severe fall and a complex fracture of her left lower leg, which necessitated the ninth surgery.
Vonn has repeatedly emphasised that she still wants to compete, despite the difficult series of injuries. Her return to skiing came after a five-year break from the World Cup, followed by her participation in this year's Olympic Games.
In her career, Vonn has achieved 84 World Cup victories, including 45 in downhill races and 28 in super-G. She has been the World Cup overall winner four times. At the Olympic Games, she won one gold and two bronze medals, while at the World Championships, she won two golds, three silvers and three bronzes.
