Lindsey Vonn Cheered for Breezy Johnson from Helicopter After Being Airlifted from Crash with Injury

The disappointing end of Lindsey Vonn's Olympic career didn't stop her from rooting on American teammate Breezy Johnson as she was going for gold at the 2026 Olympics on Sunday.

After Johnson finished first in the women's downhill event, she told reporters that Vonn's coach said that Vonn was "cheering for me" as she was being airlifted off the track following a crash during her run.

"Her coach said she was cheering for me in the helicopter, so I hope for the best for her," Johnson said. "I hope that it's not too bad. My heart aches for her. It's such a brutal sport sometimes."

Vonn, who was competing with a torn ACL, crashed early in her run on Sunday and had to receive medical attention on the track before being airlifted into a helicopter.

Per the Associated Press, Vonn was screaming out after the crash and had to be transported to a hospital for evaluation. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard team posted on X that Vonn did sustain an injury, and she is being evaluated by physicians.

Johnson did prevail in the women's downhill event, winning gold with a time of 1:36.10. She finished .04 seconds ahead of Germany's Emma Aicher

The 41-year-old was uncertain to compete at the Olympics after suffering a torn ACL during a previous crash at a World Cup event on Jan. 30. She continued her training and posted the third-fastest time among 21 skiiers who took part in a practice run on Saturday.

Vonn confirmed in an Instagram post on Saturday that this would be her final Olympic appearance, while expressing gratitude and thanks to everyone who supported her on this comeback journey.

Vonn was one of three skiiers who crashed and were unable to finish on Sunday.

While Vonn was clearly the sentimental favorite, Johnson continued her ascent to superstardom in this event. The 30-year-old returned to the Olympics for the first time since 2018 after missing the Beijing Games due to a knee injury.

Johnson won gold in the women's downhill at the 2025 World Championships. She capped off her comeback with the first Olympic medal of her career. It's also the first gold medal for a U.S. skiier in this event since Vonn in 2010.