I guess for me, the nice about February, is, like you, little sport that I'm bothered to watch, and so it's a down month, and an energy boosting, sleep building month. Baseball, Aussie Rules, F1 all start soon, PL and Champions League heats up, then comes the back to back Tennis Grand Slams...
Well ... communist dictatorships always manage good displays 😁
Not the outcome we were hoping for, but wow what an incredible attempt. Just hope she is well. Happy to see Breezy take gold
The Doctor did take part after all, as did James Bond. 😉
Former alpine racer here…IMO this view completely misses the mark. Prior to the Olympics, she was performing almost like her old self during this World Cup season. Currently 6th overall in the FIS standings, and 1st overall in downhill (today’s event) and 3rd in Super G. 7 podium finishes. So to say that a more competent athlete would be better suited to run is ridiculous. Even with the injury, her training runs were more than adequate and demonstrated that she could be competitive.
She tore the ACL a week ago Friday. Her training runs were decent enough to at least try. I had a bad feeling about it all since the press conference but it was her decision. I just hope he recovers and is able to live a pain free life. I do think she should retire now.
Wasn’t meant to offend, but it appears that I have. More of an agree to disagree. I was simply amused that someone can issue a hot take and then use the old trope “well I don’t even follow the sport so…”. I already provided my stance as to why there was “wisdom” in letting her run. She was at the top of the FIS leaderboards for this particular discipline, had completed training post injury (and even came in 3rd on the last training run yesterday), and has a full medical and coaching staff supporting her. If she was unable to complete a training run and wasn’t competing at the top of her game in the World Cup, then maybe I’d agree with you. She also has an extensive history of overcoming injuries and still competing and has significant experience and 12 WC wins in Cortina. I don’t think she was robbing any one of a spot to compete and deserved a chance to be there. This was a seasoned veteran that has deep experience, respect, and technical knowledge of the course and limits.
No question she was able to do her practice runs, but it just doesn't seem to be smart decision, that she lost on of the major ligaments that stabilize the knee which she'll presumably need for down hill skiing.
I'm not sure why you think its an old trope but I think a large segment of people watching the Olympics do not follow those sports by and large. I love watching the Skiathon events, and nordic events that will be coming up, but I've never watched them outside of the olympics, nor do I know of any of the athletes. I think my situation is more typical, so not knowing Vonn's details shouldn't be surpriising
That is a pretty common thing in MR, especially when it comes to anything Women’s Sport, of some strange reason from ignorant men.
Of course, if there was any chance, she definitely should make an attempt, absolutely.
www.nytimes.com
Anecdotally, I know of at least half a dozen folks in my ski racing circle who had ligament or other mid/lower body injuries like labral tears, and it seems very dependent on the person. Some can bounce back with minor changes, some with surgery/rigorous therapy, and some just can’t get over a plateau and it changes them for good. Very indicative of the wonders/pitfalls of the human body and sport.Lindsey Vonn racing without an ACL apparently isn't that uncommon:
It sounds completely absurd to ski race without an ACL, which Lindsey Vonn says she will attempt to do at these Olympics. The ACL is the key ligament in the knee, connecting the thigh to the shin. It provides stability, which is a good thing to have when you are flying down a steep, icy slope at 80 mph.
So what is Vonn, the Alpine star who on Tuesday revealed the extent of her injury after a fall last week in Switzerland, doing?
In fact, she is doing what many other ski racers have done before.
“The dirty secret is that it happens in skiing, and some people talk about it and some don’t,” said Breezy Johnson, a downhill teammate of Vonn’s.
Johnson tore her ACL a month before the 2022 Olympics. She tried to ski on it and felt it was a bridge too far. She was also just 26 at the time and figured she could be back, which she is.
But Vonn is 41. This is it for her. Joana Hählen of Switzerland has done it without surgery. American Bode Miller was always cagey about the state of his knee ligaments. Carlo Janka of Switzerland tore his ACL in 2017 and competed in the Olympics just over two months later without surgery.
Even Vonn’s youth coach from Buck Hill in Minnesota has done it.
“I competed for three years with no ACL. Can be done,” said Tony Olin in a text message. “It’s like mechanicals on a car, a broken suspension part … gotta fix it and keep driving.”
Lindsey Vonn will try to race the Olympics on a torn ACL. She wouldn’t be the first
"The dirty secret is that it happens in skiing," said Breezy Johnson, a teammate of Vonn's on racing without an ACL.
Same in Football (soccer) - I know that part - plus ’most' other sports too. The body is no machine, you have to pay a price when pushing it at high levels.
Absolutely, and not surprised. 🫀
Saw both US matches versus Italy... very close both times. We'll see how it goes with the Swedes. 💃🕺
