Los Angeles, CA – Universal Sports Network will present Lindsey Vonn: The Return, an exclusive, in-depth personal interview with the most decorated skier in U.S. history this Friday, at 7 p.m. ET. A sneak-peak of Friday’s special will air on this week’s Countdown to Sochi at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

In the 30-minute special, veteran sportscaster Steve Porino and Vonn talk candidly about everything from her history of injuries, depression and media scrutiny, to overcoming adversity, breaking records and retirement. They also relive last February’s serious crash at the World Championships, and talk openly about what Vonn describes as the worst injury she’s ever endured and her rapid, yet grueling, road to recovery in her quest to defend her Olympic gold medal in the downhill.

“What I think will strike fans is that as big a star as Vonn has become, she’s still very much that girl with the Midwest sensibility; she’s honest, open and entirely approachable,” Porino commented. “Lindsey can be so nice that it sometimes belies the competitor beneath, but we got a good taste of that too and we witness her will, determination and outright competitive nature. I think fans can’t help but admire just how tough and driven Lindsey really is.”

“In our conversation, Lindsey was relaxed and very open about overcoming her physical, emotional and mental struggles in the face of her challenges over the past year,” said Dean Walker, SVP of production, Universal Sports Network.

Vonn is the only American woman to have captured downhill gold at the Olympics and the only American woman with four Alpine World Cup overall titles. With 59 World Cup wins, Vonn currently stands behind only the all-time World Cup win marks of Annemarie Moser-Proell’s 62 among women’s racers. Among men, she’s only shy of Ingemar Stenmark (86).

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