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Lindsey Vonn Gets Early Christmas Present: A Green Light To Race In January

(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Katie Jerkovich Entertainment Reporter
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Lindsay Vonn announced Monday that after she shared with Santa her Christmas wishes last week, today she got an early present: the green light to race.

“I met Santa last week and I told him my Christmas wishes… and it looks like I have an early present, I CAN SKI SOON!!! I have the green light to race in January!! See, you’re never too old for Santa! #illbeback,” the 34-year-old Olympic gold medalist captioned her post on Instagram, along with a fun video of her with Santa Claus.  (RELATED: Check Out The Hottest 2018 U.S. Female Winter Olympians [SLIDESHOW])

 

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Earlier this month, the champion alpine skier shared that she was going to need more time to heal before she could get back out there to “race again” and try to get Ingemar Stenmark’s World Cup record of 86 wins. She is currently four wins away.

“Hey guys…Despite a positive checkup with my doctor, I still need a little bit more time until I can race again,” Vonn shared. “I feel good and I am training as hard as possible, but I’m not going to return until I feel strong enough to win…”

 

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“So the hunt for [Ingemar] Stenmark’s record will have to wait just a little longer…” she added. “A huge thank you to my fans and team for the support #myinspiration #sorrystmoritz #illbeback #stenmarkisalegend.”

As previously reported, the World Cup champion announced that the 2018-2019 season would be her last, record or not.

“Even after two ACL reconstructions, MCL dislocation, multiple meniscal repairs, four tibial plateau fractures, a spiral fracture of my humorous with a plate and 18 screws, a broken ankle, broken fingers and many concussions, I have never questioned my decision to keep skiing,” the Olympic medalist explained.

“Now, as the oldest Olympic medalist at 34 years old, I’ve come to realize that while I’ve accomplished great things with skiing, I need to look past podiums, goals, and competition and find out what my future looks like without it,” she added. “I need to accept that I am good enough without skiing because, at this point, my health and my family need to come first.”

 

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Vonn continued, “Regardless of the record, I am still proud of who I am and what I have accomplished during my career. I have nothing left to prove to myself or anyone else. I am not the nervous little girl standing on top of a mountain anymore; I am a woman ready for the next chapter. I can do this! My legacy will be more than skiing and there are many chapters left to write.”