Lindsey Vonn was discharged from a hospital in Italy on Sunday morning and headed to the airport to return to the United States, Reuters reported.

Vonn was admitted to Ca’ Foncello Hospital in Treviso after a devastating crash in the women’s downhill at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Feb. 8. The 41-year-old had come out of retirement to race in the Winter Games.

She has had four surgeries on her injured left leg since the crash. It occurred when her arm hooked around a gate, sending her flying into the snow and causing a complex tibia fracture just 13 seconds into the race.

Vonn was competing through a torn ACL in her left knee sustained nine days prior to her event in the final tune-up race at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, the latest hurdle in an injury-plagued career that saw her win three Olympic medals (one gold) and more than 80 World Cup races before initially retiring in 2019. Vonn appeared to still be in medal contention, finishing with the third-best time in the final training run.

She had been striving to become the oldest Alpine skiing medalist in Winter Olympics history. She won two downhill races on the World Cup circuit this season and finished on the podium in three others.

It is unclear if she will need to be hospitalized in the United States or whether she will face additional surgeries.

In an Instagram post on Saturday, Vonn said she welcomed being able to return home but was reflective about the race that put her in the hospital. And she vowed to return to the slopes.

“I have been reading a lot of messages and comments saying that what has happened to me makes them sad. Please, don’t be sad. Empathy, love and support I welcome with an open heart, but please not sadness or sympathy. I hope instead it gives you strength to keep fighting, because that is what I am doing and that is what I will continue to do. Always,” she said in her lengthy message.

“When I think back on my crash, I didn’t stand in the starting gate unaware of the potential consequences. 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.

“… So please, don’t feel sad. The ride was worth the fall. 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.”

–Field Level Media

MILAN — World record holder Femke Kok asserted her dominance in the women’s 500 meters to win Winter Olympics gold and deliver the Netherlands a second speed skating title at the Milan Cortina Games on Sunday.

Kok finished second behind Jutta Leerdam in the 1,000m on Monday but swapped places with her compatriot on the podium in the 500m.

Miho Takagi, Japan’s most decorated female Olympian, won the bronze to take her medal tally to nine over four Games.

Floridian Erin Jackson, who made history four years ago as the first Black woman to win a Winter Olympic gold in an individual sport, finished fifth-fastest.

Winner of the last three world championship golds in the 500m, Kok tore through the distance in an Olympic record time of 36.49 seconds, finishing 0.66 seconds clear of Leerdam.

It was the 25-year-old sprint specialist’s first Olympic gold medal in her second Games.

All eyes were on the 15th and final pairing where Kok, in the outside lane, was pitched against defending champion Jackson.

Jackson initially gained a slight edge that forced Kok to chase but the Dutchwoman unleashed a ferocious final surge as a sea of orange-clad supporters in the stands roared her home.

The Dutch now have eight medals in speed skating at Milan Cortina: two golds, five silvers and a bronze.

–Reuters, special to Field Level Media