‘Is Magic [Johnson] Here?’: Lindsey Vonn Felt Overshadowed by Media Despite Winning Historic Olympic Gold

Every athlete who has won an Olympic gold nurtured that dream since childhood. Alpine skiing icon Lindsey Vonn was no different. While appearing on Influential with Katty Kay, the World Cup winner opened up about her desire to win an Olympic medal since her fateful meeting with Picabo Street at age 9. However, long before becoming the first American woman to win Olympic gold in downhill skiing, Vonn had already racked up numerous accolades.

Lindsey Vonn described the emotional rollercoaster after winning her first gold in the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010. The World Cup winner was overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support from fans and media. “I was like, ‘Is Magic [Johnson] here?’,” the 39-year-old said during the BBC interview. However, despite the large crowd outside LAX airport in California, she couldn’t shake the feeling that it took an Olympic medal to get noticed.

The massive crowd, media coverage, and cheers made the alpine skier feel like a celebrity, yet it was so uncharacteristic that part of her felt it was alien. Lindsey Vonn had walked through the sliding airport doors as a world champion several times before with barely anyone batting an eye. This time, it felt like a reception worthy of Magic Johnson arriving home with the 1992 Barcelona Olympics gold medal around his neck.

Despite winning “like 45 World Cups before the Olympics… no one cared until I won in Vancouver.” she explained. Yet in that moment, Lindsey Vonn also felt joy. Her historic Olympic gold felt like a “stamp of validation” for all her prior achievements. After the 2010 Winter Olympics, America would see Vonn’s landmark career unfold for the next decade.

By the time Lindsey Vonn retired from competition in 2019, she had become a three-time Olympic medalist. She had also won a record 82 World Cup races, a milestone only surpassed by Mikaela Shiffrin in 2023. However, Vonn’s legendary career took its physical and emotional toll on the alpine skier.

Lindsey Vonn’s inspiring mental fortitude

The 39-year-old inspired an entire generation of women to pursue alpine skiing. However, the Olympic champion’s life wasn’t a constant journey toward glory and fame. Although the former World Champion no longer competes, she has required 10 surgeries to heal from the injuries she sustained during her career. Her latest one happened as recently as April 2024.

Besides the physical toll, the mental pressure of staying on top also hounded Lindsey Vonn during her career. However, despite the hardship, the 39-year-old continued to succeed. There were days when “I definitely cried myself to sleep…” Von admitted in the June 26th episode of the Unfiltered Waters podcast. One of the ways Vonn tackled her hardships was through journaling. No matter how devastating the injury was, or how she felt, the alpine skiing icon would use it as fuel to pick herself up again.

Lindsey Vonn had become a force to be reckoned with in alpine skiing long before she won Olympic gold. However, while making history in Vancouver, Canada, put her under the spotlight, she hasn’t left it since.