Lindsey Vonn crashed the women’s downhill at the Winter Olympics while compatriot Breezy Johnson won gold

Lindsey Vonn crashed the women’s downhill competition at the Winter Olympics as fellow American Breezy Johnson won an emotional gold medal in Cortina.

Vonn, 41, was competing nine days after tearing ligaments in her left knee, but hitting a gate on her first jump caused her to lose her balance, ending her dreams of winning a medal on what she said was her last Olympic slope.

Vonn successfully completed two practice laps on the famous Olympia delle Tufane track, but was airlifted from the grandstand after being cared for for an extended period.

Johnson, the world champion, was crying after confirming that she had won her gold medal after recording an amazing time of one minute and 36.10 seconds.

The 30-year-old watched on the big screen at the finish line with her head in her hands as her teammate crashed, having completed her run in sixth while Vonn was 13th.

Germany’s Emma Eicher prevailed by 0.04 seconds and won the silver medal, while Italian favorite Sofia Goggia won the bronze medal.

Vonn was taking a big risk by competing on Sunday after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in Switzerland in her final World Cup race before the Games, but she was determined to push through in her favorite event.

Stunned spectators applauded the helicopter as it whisked her off the piste that has brought her so much success in the past – with 12 of her 84 World Cup victories coming here.

Vonn wasn’t sure what her knee could handle but targeted downhill as her preferred event while also entering Super-G and team events.

She is now unlikely to compete in any of these games, meaning her Olympic career has certainly come to a devastating end.