Lindsey Vonn has competition.
Austrian skier Daniel Hemetsberger returned to the slopes on Friday for his final training run before Saturday’s downhill race at the 2026 Olympics, sporting a broken nose, black eye and an injured leg, following a violent crash the previous day that bloodied his face.
“My face, well, it’s a bit of a problem because it’s swollen under my eye, so my vision isn’t that good on the left eye,” Hemetsberger said Friday. “It was a bit more difficult than on the other days.
“Everyone who takes a look at me is like ‘Can I take a picture?'”
Austria’s Daniel Hemetsberger crashes during training at the 2026 Olympics. REUTERS
Hemetsberger, who finished 21st at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, declared himself a “bit of a psychopath,” having previously returned after tearing his ACL on the Stelvio course in 2018.
The 34-year-old’s toothless grin came courtesy of another crash a decade ago.
“I had to push because I wanted to know how my body reacts and that was the mission and it was successful, so I’m happy at the moment,” Hemetsberger said. “That was the reason why I was at the start today, to know my body is good enough to ski tomorrow …
Daniel Hemetsberger of Austria the day after the crash. REUTERS2026 WINTER OLYMPICS
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Austria’s Daniel Hemetsberger crashes during training REUTERS“At the start, I wasn’t sure if my body is good enough. The possibility to crash was really high because I didn’t know at the start how good my leg is … But I tried and I believed. And it was good enough. I was completely satisfied that I made it to the finish.”
Vonn tore her ACL last week at a World Cup event — but is still racing at the Olympics, completing her downhill training run on Friday without any issues.
