Lindsey Vonn wins Spirit of Sport award at the ‘Oscars of Sport’

By Ben Church
Updated 5:03 AM EST, Tue February 19, 2019
The world's greatest female ski racer Lindsey Vonn has officially retired from the sport after her final race at the World Championships in Are. Here's a look back at her glittering career.
The world's greatest female ski racer Lindsey Vonn has officially retired from the sport after her final race at the World Championships in Are. Here's a look back at her glittering career.
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She made her Olympic debut at Salt Lake City 2002 as a 17-year-old, finishing 32nd in slalom and sixth in the combined slalom/downhill event.
She made her Olympic debut at Salt Lake City 2002 as a 17-year-old, finishing 32nd in slalom and sixth in the combined slalom/downhill event.
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Lindsey Kildow -- as she was then before marrying fellow skier Thomas Vonn -- won her first World Cup race with victory in the downhill at Lake Louise, Canada, in 2004.
Lindsey Kildow -- as she was then before marrying fellow skier Thomas Vonn -- won her first World Cup race with victory in the downhill at Lake Louise, Canada, in 2004.
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In 2005, Vonn signed with Red Bull and began working with a completely new coaching team. She seemed set for the start of something special.
In 2005, Vonn signed with Red Bull and began working with a completely new coaching team. She seemed set for the start of something special.
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Any momentum from the new deal was slowed during the 2006 Olympics in Italy, though. A fall in practice resulted in a short stay in hospital. She recovered in time to compete but could only manage seventh in the Super G and eighth in the downhill events.
Any momentum from the new deal was slowed during the 2006 Olympics in Italy, though. A fall in practice resulted in a short stay in hospital. She recovered in time to compete but could only manage seventh in the Super G and eighth in the downhill events.
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However, Vonn quickly bounced back and won the first of three straight World Cup titles in 2008 at the age of 23.
However, Vonn quickly bounced back and won the first of three straight World Cup titles in 2008 at the age of 23.
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Golden girl Vonn achieved her Olympic dreams in 2010. She won the Olympic downhill gold at Whistler and added bronze in the super-G.
Golden girl Vonn achieved her Olympic dreams in 2010. She won the Olympic downhill gold at Whistler and added bronze in the super-G.
FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Vonn added a fourth World Cup title in 2012, but is still behind Annemarie Moser-Proell's record of six overall crystal globes.
Vonn added a fourth World Cup title in 2012, but is still behind Annemarie Moser-Proell's record of six overall crystal globes.
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Vonn's public profile went galactic when she dated star golfer Tiger Woods for two years between 2013 and 2015.
Vonn's public profile went galactic when she dated star golfer Tiger Woods for two years between 2013 and 2015.
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In 2013, Vonn suffered an horrific crash at the World Championships in Austria. She underwent reconstructive knee surgery and began a long road to recovery. She attempted to return a year later, only to pull out of the 2014 Olympics after aggravating the injury again.
In 2013, Vonn suffered an horrific crash at the World Championships in Austria. She underwent reconstructive knee surgery and began a long road to recovery. She attempted to return a year later, only to pull out of the 2014 Olympics after aggravating the injury again.
OLIVIER MORIN/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Injuries continued to hamper Vonn. She fractured her left knee in February 2016 in a crash during a World Cup super-G race in Soldeu, Andorra, but raced the combined event the next day before calling an end to her season.
Injuries continued to hamper Vonn. She fractured her left knee in February 2016 in a crash during a World Cup super-G race in Soldeu, Andorra, but raced the combined event the next day before calling an end to her season.
Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Vonn worked hard to get back in time to challenge for gold medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics. The American left PyeongChang with a bronze medal in the downhill but insisted she was proud to have made it through her injuries.
Vonn worked hard to get back in time to challenge for gold medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics. The American left PyeongChang with a bronze medal in the downhill but insisted she was proud to have made it through her injuries.
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Vonn announced the current ski World Cup season would be her last. She is already the most successful woman in World Cup history with 82 victories and was chasing down Ingemar Stenmark's overall World Cup record of 86 victories in her sights.
Vonn announced the current ski World Cup season would be her last. She is already the most successful woman in World Cup history with 82 victories and was chasing down Ingemar Stenmark's overall World Cup record of 86 victories in her sights.
Hans Bezard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images
However, a knee injury from a training crash in November meant she couldn't start her season until January. On her debut in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, she was still struggling with knee pain.
However, a knee injury from a training crash in November meant she couldn't start her season until January. On her debut in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, she was still struggling with knee pain.
TIZIANA FABI/AFP/Getty Images
After much soul-searching Vonn announced that she will retire from skiing after competing in the World Championships in Are, Sweden in February 2019. "My body is screaming at me to STOP and it's time for me to listen," she said.
After much soul-searching Vonn announced that she will retire from skiing after competing in the World Championships in Are, Sweden in February 2019. "My body is screaming at me to STOP and it's time for me to listen," she said.
Francis Bompard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
In her opening race at the World Championships, Vonn suffered a heavy crash and careered into safety netting. She was eventually able to ski to the bottom and said she would still compete in the downhill to bring the curtain down on her glittering career.
In her opening race at the World Championships, Vonn suffered a heavy crash and careered into safety netting. She was eventually able to ski to the bottom and said she would still compete in the downhill to bring the curtain down on her glittering career.
Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images
Despite her damaged knees, Vonn was able to retire on a positive note. She battled back to win bronze in the downhill -- becoming the oldest woman to secure a medal at a world championships and the first female racer to medal at six world championships.
Despite her damaged knees, Vonn was able to retire on a positive note. She battled back to win bronze in the downhill -- becoming the oldest woman to secure a medal at a world championships and the first female racer to medal at six world championships.
Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
The American retired four wins short of equaling Stenmark's record of 86 World Cup wins and the Swedish great (left) was in Are to watch Vonn's final race. "I basically begged him to come here," Vonn said.
The American retired four wins short of equaling Stenmark's record of 86 World Cup wins and the Swedish great (left) was in Are to watch Vonn's final race. "I basically begged him to come here," Vonn said.
FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARIT/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Story highlights

Lindsey Vonn awarded Spirit of Sport Award

Novak Djokovic named World Sportsman of the Year

Simone Biles announced as World Sportswoman of the Year

CNN  — 

US ski star Lindsey Vonn picked up the Spirit of Sport award at the “Oscars of Sport” Monday – on a night where Novak Djokovic and Simone Biles were also recognized for their achievements.

She retired as the greatest female ski racer of all time, but Lindsey Vonn believes fellow American Mikaela Shiffrin is “in a league of her own” and will shatter all records as long as she stays healthy.

Visit CNN.com/Sport for more news, features and video

Injuries had blighted the latter stages of her career but Vonn managed to bow out in impressive fashion earlier this month at the World Championships in Are.

By winning downhill bronze in her final race, she became the oldest woman to secure a medal at a world championships and the first female racer to medal at six world championships.

She finished her career with 82 World Cup victories to sit second on the all-time list behind Sweden’s Ingemar Stenmark.

Vonn poses with her Laureus Spirt of Sport Award.
Vonn poses with her Laureus Spirt of Sport Award.
VALERY HACHE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

READ: Lindsey Vonn – Boyfriend P.K. Subban arranges G.O.A.T. tribute

Djokovic & Biles

The “Oscars of Sport” honor the greatest and most inspirational athletes from the last calendar year.

On a glamorous night in Monaco, Djokovic was announced as the World Sportsman of the Year – fending off competition from World Cup star Kylian Mbappe and marathon man Eliud Kipchoge.

The Serbian tennis ace won Wimbledon and the US Open last year and has now joined Olympic legend Usain Bolt as a four-time winner of the Laureus accolade.

“Last year was an incredible season for me, returning from injury to win Wimbledon and the US Open is something I’ll remember forever,” Djokovic said after receiving his award.

Despite being overlooked for the Sportsman of the Year award, Kipchoge was handed the Exceptional Achievement Award for his record breaking marathon success.

Meanwhile, US gymnast Biles was named World Sportswoman of the Year after her record breaking performance at the world championships last year.

The 21-year-old, winner of the same Laureus award in 2017, won four gold, one silver and one bronze medal in Doha, Qatar.

Novak Djokovic was named World Sportsman of the Year.
Novak Djokovic was named World Sportsman of the Year.
VALERY HACHE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Biles was named Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year.
Biles was named Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year.
Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images for Laureus

READ: Is it time for Real Madrid to say goodbye to Brazilian Marcelo?

Elsewhere, France became the first national football team to win a second Laureus World Team of the Year Award, following on from its success at the 2018 World Cup in Russia

Tennis star Naomi Osaka went home with the World Breakthrough of the Year Award, while golf legend Tiger Woods won the World Comeback of the Year Award.

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger received the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to football. The Frenchman managed the Gunners for 22 years, famously going an entire English Premier League season unbeaten.