US Olympic skier Vonn named honorary ambassador for Pyeongchang Winter Games
SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of _ South Korean Olympic organizers have appointed U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn as an honorary ambassador for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.
Vonn is the first foreign individual selected for the role and she joins a list of high-profile South Korean sports stars including former Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-na and Texas Rangers outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, Pyeongchang’s organizing committee said Wednesday.
“My goal for my entire career is to promote skiing, not just in America but across the world. It’s an amazing sport,” Vonn said in a news conference in Seoul.
Vonn, 30, an Olympic gold medallist and the all-time wins leader in women’s World Cup Alpine skiing with 67, missed the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, nursing a knee injury. She plans to compete in Pyeongchang and visited the construction site of the Games’ alpine skiing venue this week.
“My goals for the next Olympics are to try to win the gold medals,” Vonn said.
“The site looks very challenging … It’s very steep and (with) a lot of jumps which I really like. I’m looking forward to seeing it with the snow on and actually being able to run the course.”
One of the most recognized winter sports figures in the U.S., Vonn recently announced that she ended her relationship of nearly three years with U.S. golfer Tiger Woods.
