Lindsey Vonn flaunted her physique while paddleboarding on vacation in France, six months after suffering a gruesome leg break at the Winter Olympics.
The American skiing legend appears to be making progress in her rehabilitation, despite admitting last month that her ankle is "still broken" following her crash in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. She has shared a series of photos on Instagram from her summer vacation, which appears to be in the French town of Villefranche-sur-Mer.
In one photo, a beaming Vonn is seen on a paddleboard. Another shows her in a helmet and lifejacket on the beach, seemingly preparing for another watersport. She captioned the post: "Been on the move..."
Vonn was forced to undergo eight surgeries after her crash in the women's downhill race on February 8 at the Olympics.
Torn ACL and near-amputation
The 41-year-old was already competing in the race on a torn left ACL, which she injured in another crash heading into the Milan-Cortina Games. When she took to the slopes in a bid to land her fourth Olympic medal, Vonn completely shattered her left leg and almost required amputation as a result.
"It's been a very slow process," she told People.com on the red carpet at the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles last month. "It's been five months since I've been able to actually go to the gym in a somewhat meaningful way. And walking is actually still really hard for me."
Romance with Matthieu Bailet
Amid her ongoing rehab, Vonn has been romantically linked to fellow alpine ski star Matthieu Bailet. A report from People in May claimed she has been getting close to the French racer, with the pair initially spending time together in New York City.
The pair were photographed backstage after a performance of the Broadway musical "The Outsiders," before they were also spotted shopping in SoHo and riding the subway together the same week Vonn was seen at the Met Gala. Fans also noticed her post a flirty side-eye emoji in the comments of an Instagram post of Bailet, 30, with his shirt off while washing his car.
In June, the pair all but confirmed their romance by attending the Monaco Grand Prix together.
Return to the U.S. Ski Team
Earlier this year, it was revealed that Vonn is among the 48 athletes nominated to the U.S. Alpine ski team for next season, the strongest sign yet that she will return to the sport after her Olympics crash. Her selection is a formality based on last year's results, but Vonn has teased the possibility of returning to the slopes while battling through her rehabilitation.
Racers who accept the nomination and meet the requirements will be officially announced to the team in October. The opening World Cup race, a giant slalom, takes place in Soelden, Austria, in late October.
