Winter Olympics 2026 Milano Cortina: USA's Breezy Johnson Wins Gold After Lindsey Vonn's Tragic Fall In Women's Downhill

American ski racer Breezy Johnson won the Olympic downhill Sunday with a hard-charging run on a day marred by teammate Lindsey Vonn’s crash that saw her being taken off the mountain in a helicopter.

Johnson was the sixth runner and found speed with a risk-taking trip along the iconic Olympia delle Tofana course on a sunny day in Cortina.

She was in the leader’s box when Vonn, the No. 13 racer, cut a corner too close and was spun around before crashing. The race was put on hold for more than 20 minutes.

The 30-year-old Johnson joins Vonn as the only American women to win the Olympic downhill. Johnson finished in 1 minute, 36.10 seconds to hold off Emma Aicher of Germany by just .04 seconds.

Italy’s Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic downhill winner and 2022 silver medalist, finished with the bronze.

Winter Olympics Milano Cortina 2026: How Lindsey Vonn Got Injured?

Vonn lost control over the opening traverse after cutting the line too tight and was spun around in the air.

She was heard screaming out after the crash as she was surrounded by medical personnel before she was strapped to a gurney and flown away by a helicopter, possibly ending the skier’s storied career.

Her condition was not immediately known, with the U.S. Ski Team saying simply she would be evaluated. Vonn had family in the stands, including her father, Alan Kildow, who stared down at the ground while his daughter was being treated after just 13 seconds on the course.

Others in the crowd, including rapper Snoop Dogg, watched quietly as the star skier was finally taken off the course she knows so well and holds a record 12 World Cup wins.