Lindsey Vonn (born October 18, 1984, in St. Paul, Minnesota) is an American **alpine ski racer** widely regarded as one of the greatest female skiers in history.[4][5] She began skiing at age three, later moving with her family to Vail, Colorado, to pursue elite training, and first gained international attention at 14 by winning the slalom at Italy’s Trofeo Topolino, a first for an American girl.[1][5] Vonn made her **Olympic debut** at 17 at the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Games and went on to compete in four Olympics: 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2018.[2][5] At the **2010 Vancouver Olympics**, she became the first U.S. woman to win **downhill gold** and also earned **bronze in super-G**.[4][5] After missing the 2014 Sochi Games due to injury, she returned to win **bronze in downhill** at PyeongChang 2018, bringing her Olympic total to **three medals** (one gold, two bronze).[4][5][7] On the **World Cup** circuit, Vonn dominated speed events (downhill and super-G). She won **four overall World Cup titles** (2008–2010, 2012) and a record **eight World Cup downhill titles**, amassing **82 World Cup race victories** and 138 podiums before retiring in 2019.[3][4][5] At retirement, her 82 wins were the most by any woman in World Cup history, a mark later surpassed by Mikaela Shiffrin.[3][6] She also collected **seven world championship medals**, including two golds in 2009 (downhill and super-G).[3][4] Vonn’s career was marked by repeated comebacks from serious injuries, including multiple knee ligament tears and fractures, which contributed to her high profile and reputation for resilience.[3][5][6] Since retirement, she has remained prominent as a media personality, author, and advocate for women and girls in sport, and she was inducted into the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame for her achievements.[2]