Skier Vonn targets World Cup wins record

After winning a bronze medal at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, American alpine skier Lindsey Vonn on Friday said that her next goal is to break the record of World Cup wins held by Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark.

Vonn, who won bronze in the women's downhill at the PyeongChang Games, said she hopes to achieve the milestone next season, reports Yonhap news agency.

The 33-year-old needs six wins to surpass Stenmark, who retired with 86 World Cup victories.

"I'm not going to stop ski racing until I break it," Vonn said during her press conference at the Main Press Centre here.

"I think next season I can get it done. I hope I can get it done because I'm not getting any younger."

Vonn, who also has gold and bronze at Vancouver 2010, said she also wants to compete against male skiers after getting approved by the International Ski Federation (FIS).

"I don't know if physically I'm as strong or as competitive as I once was," she said. "However, I would still like to have the opportunity to try."

Vonn made headlines recently after she scattered her late grandfather's ashes near the Olympic speed ski competition venue in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province. Her grandfather was a Korean War veteran.

Vonn said that at PyeongChang 2018, likely her last Olympics, she skied with passion and heat. She believes that she made her grandfather proud even though her medal in South Korea was not a gold medal.

"In the end, I gave it absolutely everything I had," she said. "A bronze medal honestly feels likes a gold medal to me."

Vonn wasn't able to compete at Sochi 2014 due to an injury. But she said that over the last eight years, she has matured a lot, and the passing of her grandfather last year taught her a lesson too.

"I appreciate everything so much more," she said.

"Especially after the passing of my grandfather ... you realize ... how short your life is and how much you wish you had more experiences that were meaningful. This has been an exceptional meaningful moment for me and my life and my career as a professional ski racer, so I'll never forget this Games."

--IANS

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