Lindsey Vonn has earned yet another ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards) nomination, this time for Best Comeback Athlete, following her remarkable return to the World Cup circuit this year.
Vonn’s Previous ESPY Wins and Nominations
WINS
- 2010: Best Female Athlete
- 2010: Best U.S. Female Olympian
- 2011: Best Female Athlete
- 2019: Best Moment
NOMINATIONS
- 2012: Best Athlete of the Year (Female)
- 2015: Best Athlete of the Year (Female)
Vonn’s 2024-25 Comeback
After a six-year retirement and a partial knee replacement, alpine ski legend Lindsey Vonn stunned the world with her return to competitive racing.
The 40-year-old officially relaunched her career in December at Copper Mountain, where she entered FIS events to earn points and get time in a race environment. Just weeks later, she made her World Cup return in St. Moritz, finishing a respectable 14th in super-G, which were her first World Cup points since 2018.
Momentum built quickly for Vonn in January. At St. Anton, Austria, she turned heads with a sixth-place finish in the downhill, less than a second off the podium. She followed it up the next day with an even stronger fourth in super-G, narrowly missing out on a medal.
These performances silenced critics who questioned her ability to compete at the highest level.
Vonn’s comeback reached its peak of the season on March 23, 2025, when she claimed silver in the super-G at the World Cup Finals in Sun Valley. The finish not only marked her first podium since 2018 but also made her the oldest woman ever to medal in a World Cup race.
Vonn stated at the World Cup Finals after her podium result, “I usually do better when the pressure is higher. It was the last race of the season, so I put it all on the line. This is the level I know I can ski, and I know I can do better than that.”
“It has been a rough season of people saying I can’t, that I am too old, that I am not good enough anymore, so I think I proved everyone wrong,” she concluded.
Eyes Set on the 2026 Winter Olympics
Vonn confirmed she’s now focused on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, which will be her final target before she plans to retire for good.
She stated at the end of the season, “Cortina is one of my favorite places in the world; that Olympic downhill is what’s been driving me.”
Tune into the ESPYS
The ESPYS awards ceremony will be held Wednesday, July 16th, 2025. The ceremony will be live on ABC and streamed live on ESPN+. Tune in!
About the Author: Ellie Hartman
