AceShowbiz - Lindsey Vonn, the iconic 82-time World Cup winner and three-time Olympic medalist, has made a triumphant return to the podium at the age of 40. On March 23, she secured second place in the Super-G race at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup finals.

Vonn's performance on the Challenger course in Sun Valley was an inspiring one - as she became the oldest woman to achieve a podium finish in a World Cup event. This remarkable feat came after her comeback from retirement and a partial knee replacement.

As the crowd roared in approval, she pumped her poles and glanced at the scoreboard, tears of joy and relief streaming down her face. "This means so much to me ❤️," she wrote on Instagram, capturing the emotional significance of her achievement.

This comeback has been a hard-fought battle for Vonn. "It's been a rough season of people saying that I can't, that I'm too old, that I'm not good enough anymore. I think I proved everyone wrong," Vonn told NBC Sports.

Her determination and resilience were evident as she continuously picked herself up despite numerous setbacks. "I've been knocked down so many times in my life personally, physically, mentally, beat down, and I always pick myself back up."

Vonn's sensational run on Sunday, clocking in at 1 minute, 13.64 seconds, was enough to secure her 138th career World Cup podium. It was her first podium since March 2018, marking a triumphant return after a six-year hiatus. Vonn is now just one start short of tying with Renate Goetschl for the most World Cup starts by a female racer.

Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami clinched the first place victory with a time of 1 minute, 12.35 seconds, securing her sixth Super-G globe. Italian Federica Brignone finished third, sealing the season-long Super-G standings with Gut-Behrami in first, followed by Brignone and Sofia Goggia of Italy.

The season marked a significant milestone for Vonn, as she prepared for her ultimate goal: the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina. "This season is literally just a test run and a trial run to see what I can do," she told The Associated Press. Despite the challenges, Vonn's resolve remains unyielding, driven by a passion for skiing that has never wavered.

As Vonn concluded her season, she looks forward to continuing her journey with renewed vigor and optimism. "When you keep putting one foot in front of the other, it leads you to a place like today," she said, a testament to her unrelenting spirit.

In the words of Federica Brignone, "She's Lindsey Vonn. She has qualities and she's an amazing champion. Today, she put all the pieces together and did an amazing race." Lindsey Vonn's story is a powerful reminder that with hard work, determination, and an unyielding spirit, anything is possible.