NBC’s Olympics coverage has often featured some notable former Olympians, and the latest to step into that role is famed skier Lindsey Vonn. Vonn (seen above at a 2019 World Cup race) has previously worked for NBC, including as a NBC News correspondent at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 while she was recovering from injury and in a commentary role on some of their skiing coverage over the last year-plus, but her new role as a “primetime correspondent” for the upcoming Beijing Olympics (which begin on Feb. 2) sounds perhaps more extensive (albeit not exactly specific). Here’s more on that from a NBC release Wednesday:
Lindsey Vonn, the Olympic gold medalist and winningest woman in alpine skiing World Cup history, will join NBC Olympics for its coverage of the 2022 Winter Games, it was announced today.
A four-time Olympian, Vonn made her on-air debut with the NBC Sports team in January 2021 for several days of competition in women’s downhill and Super-G events from Crans Montana, Switzerland. She will serve as a primetime correspondent.
“As one of the greatest Olympic skiers of all time and a superstar who has transcended her sport, we’re thrilled to have Lindsey join our team,” said Molly Solomon, Executive Producer & President, NBC Olympics Production. “Lindsey will provide a perspective unique to an athlete known for excellence, intensity and determination on the world’s biggest and most competitive stage.”
“I am excited to share my perspective along with my insight on what athletes might be feeling during high pressure moments,” Vonn said. “My first memories of Olympics were from NBC broadcast, so I am very excited to be working with a team that has been there for so many amazing Olympic moments.”
Despite battling a litany of injuries that caused her to miss significant time and eventually led to her retiring at 35 in 2019, Vonn accomplished incredible things on the slopes. She won 82 World Cup races, the most ever by a woman and the second-most ever regardless of gender (behind only Sweden’s Ingemar Stenmark, who won 86), and four overall World Cup championships (three in consecutive years from 2008-10). She is one of six women to have won World Cup races in all five disciplines, and she took part in four Olympics, winning three medals (including gold in the downhill in 2010). So she’s certainly a notable voice to have on an Olympic broadcast team.
And since retirement, Vonn has made some strides into a sports media role, including the aforementioned work for NBC on some World Cup races. She’s also co-director and executive producer (with famed filmmaker Frank Marshall) of upcoming Peacock documentary Picabo, on pioneering American downhill racer Picabo Street. (That film, one of three new Peacock documentaries unveiled ahead of these Olympics, will premiere Friday.) This is the latest media move for her, and it will be interesting to see how she does in that role.
