Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 sports
Tuesday 30 January 2018

Lindsey Vonn

Continued from Page 17 “Getting to February
healthy,” she said, “is the
Do I take my foot off the only thing I should focus
gas pedal? ... You try to on.”
manage risk as much as As much as she’s already
you want,” she said. “But done — and won — in a
at the end of the day, it’s a sport she has dominated
dangerous sport.” for stretches, including four
Concussions. Broken fin- World Cup overall titles and
gers. Torn ligaments. A frac- seven world champion-
tured ankle. ships medals, Vonn still has
The lengthy list includes the plenty of unfinished busi-
ripped-up right knee that ness on her agenda.
held her out of the 2014 So- There’s her lingering bid to
chi Games and prevented break Ingemar Stenmark’s
her from defending her career record for most
downhill gold medal from World Cup wins, the most
four years earlier, when she celebrated mark in ski rac- In this Feb. 17, 2010, file photo, Lindsey Vonn of the United States, shows the gold medal she won
also collected a bronze in ing. Vonn’s count is up to in the Women’s downhill, during the medal ceremony at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Whistler,
the super-G. 79, the most for a woman, British Columbia.
“Eight years has been a and only seven behind Associated Press
very long time. Obviously, Stenmark, a Swede who “I want to see what I’m mate, Ted Ligety, a two- ion and I gave it. I mean, it’s
I was very ... disappointed competed in the 1970s and capable of. It would be time Olympic gold medal- not necessarily my place to
and devastated and frus- ‘80s. really great exposure for ist. “I’d fully be psyched to be sticking my nose in poli-
trated that I missed Sochi,” It’s that chase that prompt- the sport,” Vonn said. “My see her race against guys.” tics, but as an athlete, I do
the 33-year-old Vonn said. ed Vonn to declare al- personal ambitions aside, In case you hadn’t noticed, have a voice.”
“I’ve been waiting for this ready that she has decided I think you have to look at Vonn is not deterred easily. Whatever might get in her
for a long time. I’m ready.” to return to the World Cup it from a broader perspec- It’s why she never allowed way, Vonn presses ahead.
So it’s only natural that as circuit next season, say- tive. What Billie Jean King any of those injuries to de- That’s why she will be
she looked ahead to the ing, “I already put enough did all those years ago rail her career for good. back at the Olympics next
2018 Winter Games, which pressure on myself to reach made a huge and lasting It’s why she owned remarks month.
open in South Korea on that goal, anyway. I want impact. We have to con- made in an interview with And back on World Cup
Feb. 9, Vonn voiced one to make sure I give myself tinue to push the envelope CNN , in which she said she courses next year.
primary concern — and it a little more time, so I’m not and push women forward would “absolutely not” visit Maybe even racing against
was not related to making stressed about it.” in sports.” the White House if the U.S. men.
sure her racing would be at Then there’s her ongoing U.S. Ski and Snowboard Olympic team is invited “I love going fast. That’s
its best. pursuit of barrier-breaking formally petitioned the In- after Pyeongchang and, why I haven’t stopped ski-
In sum: To get a chance to competition against men, ternational Ski Federation’s “I want to represent our ing. I’m 33. I’ve been in-
add to her medal collec- something Vonn has spo- Alpine executive board in country well. I don’t think jured quite a few times, but
tion, she’ll need to be in the ken about pursuing for October on behalf of Vonn, that there are a lot of peo- my passion for the sport
starting hut. years. with a goal of being al- ple currently in our govern- has never changed since I
“I don’t really think about She views it as something lowed to race against men ment that do that.” started racing when I was
peaking, so much as stay- that could be as significant sometime next season. Vonn took some heat on 8 years old,” Vonn said. “As
ing healthy. As long as I’m as Billie Jean King’s exhibi- The proposal was put on social media after that long as I’m still enjoying it,
healthy and confident, tion tennis match against hold; it is expected to be aired in December, then and I don’t have to use too
then I’ll be in a great po- Bobby Riggs in 1973, chron- considered in May. defended herself by saying much duct tape to hold my
sition when I get to Py- icled in last year’s “Battle of “Why not? We train with at a subsequent World Cup body together, I’m good.
eongchang,” Vonn said. the Sexes.” her,” said Vonn’s U.S. team- race: “I was asked my opin- I’m set.”q

U.S. downhiller Steven Nyman to miss Olympics with knee injury

By HOWARD FENDRICH Nyman wrote in an Insta- the day until he crashed off
AP Sports Writer gram post Monday saying a jump and tore three liga-
Three-time U.S. Olympic he already had ligament ments in his left knee, then
ski racer Steven Nyman surgery. “After an unevent- was airlifted off the course.
will miss the Pyeonchang ful fall in Garmisch three This time, he went into the
Games after tearing a liga- days ago my knee hurt but safety netting lining the
ment in his right knee dur- I thought I would be fine. I slope but pulled himself
ing downhill training almost later learned I tore my ACL up and was able to ski
a year to the day after in- on my right leg! It was 364 the rest of the way down
juring his left knee on the days from my big crash the mountain. “I think I
same mountain. last year.” Nyman, who will pushed too hard and just
He sustained the season- turn 36 in February, added kind of did the splits. It was
ending injury to his right he has “all intention” to weird,” Nyman told the AP
ACL during preparation in be able to return to com- after his fall last week. Ny-
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, petition for the 2019 world man has won three World
Germany, before the final championships. In January Cup downhill races and
pre-Olympic World Cup 2017, the 6-foot-4 Nyman reached the podium eight
In a Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018 file photo, United States’ Steven downhill last week, the U.S. was hurt in downhill prac- other times. He came in
Nyman competes during an alpine ski, men’s World Cup Ski and Snowboard an- tice on the same Kanda- third in the Olympic down-
downhill training, in Wengen, Switzerland.
Associated Press nounced Monday. “That har course. He had been hill test event in South Ko-
didn’t go as planned,” having the fastest run of rea in February 2016.q