Paris (AFP) – Comeback queen Lindsey Vonn has appointed former Norwegian ski star Aksel Lund Svindal as coach to help her prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The former Olympic and serial world champion stunned the sports world when she returned to the US ski team last year aged 40, five years after retirement. She has her sights set on adding to the downhill gold she won at the 2010 Vancouver Games at Milan/Cortina next year with her close friend Svindal now on her coaching team.
“Bringing Aksel onto my team for this season feels like a natural and incredibly exciting step,” Vonn said on Wednesday. “We’ve shared so much history on the mountain, from training to winning World Cup titles, and there’s a deep level of trust and respect that’s developed over the years. To have him officially on my team as we push for the Cortina Games is a huge boost.”
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Svindal, a two-time former overall World Cup champion and double Olympic gold medallist, and Vonn will begin preparations for Milan-Cortina with a training camp in Chile “later this summer.” Vonn, who has 82 World Cup wins to her name, was forced into retirement following a serious knee injury. But after undergoing a titanium reconstruction of her knee, she returned to competition last season, picking up the first podium of her return at Sun Valley in March.
Reflecting on her return, she said: “This comeback is about pushing boundaries and proving what’s possible, and I believe Aksel will help give me the extra edge I will need on this ambitious journey.”
© 2024 AFP
