Lindsey Vonn's timeline filled with hate-tweets following Super-G loss
A slip in the final stretch cost American skier Lindsey Vonn a spot on the podium in the women’s super-g on Saturday at the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.
The 33-year-old tied for sixth place with a final time of 1:21.48 — just 0.27 seconds behind Czech Republic’s Ester Ledecka, who snuck in to win the gold medal.
Vonn was visibly frustrated after crossing the finish line, and took to Twitter after to share her thoughts on the race.
Frustrating to be so close to the podium and to have made such a big mistake…but that’s ski racing. I’m proud of the way I skied and how I attacked the course. I gave it my all and came up short. That’s life. Now it’s on to the Downhill!
— lindsey vonn (@lindseyvonn) February 17, 2018
Almost instantly after she had failed to medal in the event, people took to Twitter to voice their displeasure with the skier. Why?
Back in December, Vonn was openly critical of President Donald Trump, saying that she wouldn’t accept an invitation to the White House after the PyeongChang Olympics.
“I take the Olympics very seriously and what they mean and what they represent, what walking under our flag means in the opening ceremony,” Vonn said in December. “I want to represent our country well. I don’t think that there are a lot of people currently in our government that do that.”
Well, people didn’t forget — and they didn’t let Vonn forget either. Many claimed it was karma. Some said it was #MAGA and their support for Trump. Others even linked her failure to PGA golfer Tiger Woods’ — her ex-boyfriend who failed to make the cut Friday at the Genesis Open.
Your president was watching. You let him down. Karma
— Kris S (@kscctx) February 17, 2018
You don’t stand for our President? We don’t stand for you. #StandByOurPresident #WeAreMiddleClass #GetOffYourHighHorse
— patriot jewel (@jewel_patriot) February 17, 2018
Hey Lindsey- maybe u should focus on your skiing instead of disrespecting our President and being unpatriotic. U think there is a connection between that and u losing? I do. MAGA
— Michael Harden (@Mjhardino71) February 17, 2018
Maybe you should have focused on your sport more instead of foolishly bashing our American President right before the Olympics…
— James Wehner (@JimWehner) February 17, 2018
@lindseyvonn you got what you deserved
— DOUGLAS E. DEBLASE (@DOUGLASEDEBLASE) February 17, 2018
You loss cause you bad mouth our President. Happy to see a traitor of the USA defeated. Now retire please.
— Roberto Peralta (@rperalta139) February 17, 2018
Now, Vonn didn’t exclusively receive hate tweets. There were plenty of positive responses in there, too. But it was the negative ones that drew most of the attention.
ESPN analyst Julie Foudy even spoke out in Vonn’s defense after reading some of the comments the skier received.
I just spent last 20 min's reading thru tweets directed at @lindseyvonn. Sickened & disgusted once again by the lack of humanity that engulfs our country. She just raced her damn heart out & Trump supporters gloat/cheer/celebrate her inability to medal. Is this what we've become?
— Julie Foudy (@JulieFoudy) February 17, 2018
Vonn replied to Foudy the next morning, too.
It’s ok Julie. Not everyone has to like me but my family loves me and I sleep well at night. I work hard and try to be the best person I can be. If they don’t like me ♀️ their loss I guess… Thank you for the support❤️ https://t.co/EaySJE7QAe
— lindsey vonn (@lindseyvonn) February 17, 2018
This isn’t a new problem, either. Ever since Vonn voiced her opinion on the Trump adminstration, she has been receiving hate online. American ski jumper Lindsey Van — whose name is just two letters off from Vonn’s — said she has been receiving hate mail and comments directed for Vonn for weeks.
It's gross. I have been mistakenly getting her hate mail for weeks!
— Lindsey Van (@lindseyvan) February 17, 2018
Vonn will have another chance to medal in the downhill competition on Wednesday. United States teammate Mikaela Shiffrin will also compete in the event.
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