MONACO, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Retired American alpine ski legend Lindsey Vonn on Monday said she had mixed feelings about the way that she finished her glorious career at the recent World Championships.
Vonn crashed in the super-G before bagging a downwill bronze at the Worlds last weekend.
"It's a combination of both. I don't want to end my career that I never did, but I'm relieved that I was able to finish it in a way that symbolizes more my career.
"I was able to come back (in downhill) from the crash in super-G that faded earlier. I was really disappointed that things had gone the way they did. It just struggles to face the reality that I'm no longer competing. That's the reality that I have to deal with," said Vonn during the 2019 Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony.
Vonn, who was recognized by the Laureus Academy with the Spirit of Sport Award, said that she's working with sponsors, movie executives and producers on new projects coming up.
"I didn't expect to finish my career so early, so I have a little bit down time now before things really get going," she admitted.
Vonn is also well aware of the emergence of another female star in alpine ski, Mikaela Shiffrin, who registered her fourth consecutive world slalom.
With 56 World Cup wins, Shiffrin is also well on track to chasing Vonn's record of 82 in female skiers.
"It's been incredible. It's just great to see another American doing so well. I hope that she continues to do well and inspire a generaion.
"We don't have a lot of skiers coming up. We have to keep doing our best to push the sport and keep getting kids involved. Otherwise, the sport can fade. No one wants that," Vonn pointed out.
"Every sport needs a star," Vonn said. "Mikaela (Shiffrin), Marcel (Hirscher), so many people have the ability to create excitement. We just continue to foster these stars and keep making these sports exciting."
