(Reuters) -American skiing great Lindsey Vonn will come out of retirement at the age 40 to rejoin the U.S. ski team, U.S. Ski & Snowboard said on Thursday after she returned to training following a successful knee surgery earlier this year.
Vonn, a three-times Olympic medallist and four-times World Cup champion, had retired in 2019 after a bruising 18-year career where she suffered several injuries.
She had retired as the most decorated athlete in women’s skiing when she finished her career with 82 World Cup wins — a record that has since been broken by American compatriot Mikaela Shiffrin.
Vonn underwent partial knee replacement surgery in April and has been training in recent months to test her knee before taking the decision to return to competitive skiing.
“Getting back to skiing without pain has been an incredible journey. I am looking forward to being back with the U.S. Ski Team and to continue to share my knowledge of the sport with these incredible women,” Vonn said in a statement.
Vonn, who recorded her first World Cup victory in 2004, has 20 World Cup titles which include four overall Crystal Globes. She has also won eight World Championship medals and has 137 World Cup podium finishes.
“Lindsey has made an indelible mark on alpine skiing and our organization throughout her career. We’re delighted to welcome her back,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, the president and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard.
“Her dedication and passion towards alpine skiing is inspiring and we’re excited to have her back on snow and see where she can go from here.”
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; editing by Pritha Sarkar and Toby Davis)
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