Skier Eileen Gu Slams Criticism of Silver Medals at Olympics 2026
Lindsey Vonn is defending her place in the 2026 Olympics.
The alpine ski racer—who crashed during the women’s downhill final at the Milano Cortina Winter Games Feb. 8—reacted to critics who questioned her decision to compete after her accident resulted in multiple surgeries to treat her broken left tibia, arguing that she deserved to hit the slopes just as much as her counterparts.
“One thing that stung was when people said I was selfish and should give my Olympic spot to someone else,” she wrote in a post on Instagram Feb. 21 alongside a video compilation of her races leading up to the Winter Games. “So… I just wanted to recap my season for all the haters out there that don’t understand what it means to earn your spot, and on a more positive note, to just reflect.”
The 41-year-old—who won gold at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and bronze at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang—noted that her effort “wasn’t all for nothing” despite her devastating ordeal, listing some of her recent accomplishments including landing on the podium after every downhill race she competed in during the season.
“I showed up and did what most thought was impossible at my age with a partial knee replacement,” she shared. “These memories I’ll have forever and I’m grateful for every one of them. Every moment was amazing. Every moment was worth it.”
Lindsey concluded her post with an encouraging message for fans, writing, “It’s not impossible until it’s done. I didn’t reach my ultimate goal…. But I still did a lot.”
Photo by Millo Moravski/Agence Zoom/Getty Images
Amid her recovery, the athlete shared her reflections on her ill-fated race, making it clear she was clear-eyed about the risks involved in her sport.
“When I think back on my crash, I didn’t stand in the starting gate unaware of the potential consequences,” she wrote on Instagram Feb. 14. “I knew what I was doing. I chose to take a risk. Every skier in that starting gate took the same risk. Because even if you are the strongest person in the world, the mountain always holds the cards.”
And with that understanding, Lindsey urged her supports not to “feel sad” about how her Olympic race unfolded.
“The ride was worth the fall,” she continued. “When I close my eyes at night I don’t have regrets and the love I have for skiing remains. I am still looking forward to the moment when I can stand on the top of the mountain once more. And I will.”
For more highlights from the 2026 Winter Games, keep scrolling…
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Heartbreak on the Ice
U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn breaks down in tears after missing her triple loop jump during the women’s short program event.
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Gloves Off
Tom Wilson of Canada scuffles with Pierre Crinon of France in a rare Olympic hockey fight.
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Golden Moment
Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen is visibly emotional after winning the country’s first-ever gold medal in Winter Olympic history at the men’s giant slalom event.
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Across the Finish Line
As the first cross-country skier to represent to Haiti in Olympic history, Stevenson Savart collapses to thunderous applause after finishing the men’s 10km race.
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Bello!
Spanish figure skater Tomas Guarino dresses up as a Minion for his Despicable Me-inspired short program.
Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP via Getty Images
Dog Day Afternoon
A dog wanders onto the track during the women’s team cross country free sprint qualifiers.
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
Canadian Chaps
Canadian curler Marc Kennedy watches his teammate Brad Jacobs apply lip balm during the men’s round robin match.
Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Slip Up
U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin, also known as “Quad God,” takes an uncharacteristic fall during the men’s single free skating competition, ultimately landing him in eighth place.
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Head in the Game
German bobsledder Laura Nolte gears up before training for the monobob, the single-person bobsleigh event for women.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Victory Selfie
Following the women’s snowboard halfpipe competition, Korean snowboarder Gaon Choi poses for picture with Team USA’s Chloe Kim and Mitsuki Ono of Japan taken using the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition.
Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images
From One Olympian to Another
Georgian figure skater Nika Egadze snaps a photo with Simone Biles, the most-decorated gymnast in Olympic history, during the men’s singles figure skating competition.
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/Getty Images
You’re on Candid Camera
A cameraman films U.S. skiers Breezy Johnson and Mikaela Shiffrin hugging after the second run of the women’s team combined salom event.
Odd ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images
A Small Gift
French biathlete Lou Jeanmonnot has some fun with plushies of Milan-Cortina Olympics mascots Milo and Tina, which she received as part of winning the silver medal in the women’s biathlon 15km individual event.
Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Thinking of Home
Skier Dmytro Shepiuk uses a sticky note to send love to his fellow Ukranians after finishing the men’s super-G event.
WANG Zhao/AFP via Getty Images
Scream and Shout
Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto is surprised by her score in the women’s singles free skating team event.
JASPER JACOBS/BELGA MAG/Belga/AFP via Getty Images
All the Emotions
Dutch speedskater Jutta Leerdam wipes tears from her eyes after learning she set an Olympic record in the women’s 1,000-meter race.
Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Big Air
China’s Eileen Gu competes in the women’s freestyle slopestyle—which earned her a silver medal.
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
With Him Always
U.S. skater Maxim Naumov holds a photo of his late parents close after competing in the men’s single skating short program.
Hector Vivas/Getty Images
Twists and Turns
A composite image shows off the many tricks seen in the women’s freestyle slopestyle.
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Pierogi Power
Polish figure skater Ekaterina Kurakova holds up a plushie of a pierogi—widely considered to be Poland’s national food—as she celebrates with her teammates during the women’s single skating short program.
Tom Weller/Getty Images
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane
No, it’s Team Austria’s ski jumper Julia Muehlbacher.
Robert Michael/picture alliance via Getty Images
Double Trouble
Selina Egle and Lara Michaela Kipp of Austria zoom by during the luge women’s doubles.
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
Say Cheese!
The winners of the figure skating team event snap a selfie with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition while on the podium.
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Never Give Up
U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn looks determined as she attends a training session days after rupturing her ACL in a crash.
Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Spin It to Win It
Alysa Liu of the United States performs the Biellmann spin during the women’s single skating short program event.
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
So Close
Team Great Britain’s Jennifer Dodds has a nail-biting reaction to the curling mixed doubles round robin match against South Korea.
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
Curl It Like It’s Hot
Snoop Dogg, serving as an Olympics correspondent for NBC, tries his hand at curling at a practice.
Tim Clayton/Getty Images
In Sync
U.S. figure skaters and real-life couple Evan Bates and Madison Chock are a perfect match while performing their rhythm ice dance routine.
Federico Manoni/NurPhoto via Getty Images
On the B-rink of History
Laila Edwards, the first Black woman representing the U.S. in Olympic hockey, faces off against Czech player Sara Cajanova during the United States vs. Czech Republic game.
Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Friendship Knows No Borders
Australian snowboarder Valentino Guseli shares a hug with Team Czechia’s Jakub Hrones during the men’s snowboard big air qualifiers.
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