Lindsey Vonn feels 100 percent physically and could return to competition later this month instead of late November, she told reporters at the U.S. Olympic media summit Wednesday.
There’s a chance she may race in the World Cup opener in Soelden, Austria, a giant slalom race on Oct. 26, Vonn said in a video conference from Ohio, where boyfriend Tiger Woods will play the Presidents Cup this week.
Vonn, who blew out her right knee at the World Championships on Feb. 5, had been expected to return Nov. 29, at the World Cup stop in Beaver Creek, Colo. She said she hasn’t pushed her knee to the maximum yet, but had “no doubt” it will hold up, according to reporters in Park City.
There was thought Vonn’s injury could limit her schedule at the Sochi Olympics to only speed events — downhill, super-G, super combined perhaps — where she would be a medal favorite if healthy.
But if she comes back for a technical event, a giant slalom, more than a month early, there’s reason to believe she could ski a full program at the Sochi Olympics. Vonn did all five events at the 2010 Olympics, winning gold in the downhill, bronze in the super-G and failing to finish the super combined, giant slalom and slalom.
However, Vonn told reporters at the media summit she doesn’t plan on skiing slalom this season.
Vonn has finished in the top seven in the giant slalom and slalom World Cup standings a combined two times in 10 seasons. All of her seven total Olympic and World Championship medals are from the downhill and super-G.
Vonn also criticized international ski officials, saying she was “not confident that safety is at the forefront of their minds.” There are already several injuries three weeks before the World Cup season starts. The reigning world champion in the downhill is expected to miss the Olympics.
