Lindsey Vonn is coming out of retirement to rejoin the U.S. Ski Team, she announced Thursday, intending to race again at age 40 — and six years after her last Olympics.

Vonn is a three-time Olympic medalist, including a downhill gold and super-G bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Games, and a bronze in the downhill at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. She is also a four-time overall World Cup champion and owns eight world championships medals.

Her 82 World Cup race victories stood as the record for a woman until that total was eclipsed in January 2023 by American Mikaela Shiffrin, who is still active and is now up to 97 wins — more than any Alpine ski racer in the history of the sport.

Before eclipsing Vonn’s total, Shiffrin said: “I don’t know if I could fill Lindsey’s shoes, the way that she has worn them.”

Vonn’s last competition came in February 2019, after she dealt with a long series of injuries throughout her career.

There were broken arms and legs, torn knee ligaments, concussions and more.

Just this April, years after leaving the World Cup circuit, she had surgery for a partial knee replacement.

Vonn has been training in recent months, U.S. Ski & Snowboard said Thursday.

“Getting back to skiing without pain has been an incredible journey,” Vonn said, adding that she wants to “continue to share my knowledge of the sport with these incredible women” on the American roster.

Vonn is back with the team effective immediately, but it is not yet known which particular races she will be aiming to enter. The first downhill — her specialty — during the current World Cup season will be held at Beaver Creek, Colorado, in December.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard president and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt said Vonn’s “dedication and passion towards Alpine skiing is inspiring, and we’re excited to have her back on snow and see where she can go from here.”

The next Winter Olympics are in Italy in February 2026, and while it’s not clear whether Vonn plans to participate, the women’s Alpine skiing events will be held in Cortina d’Ampezzo on the course where she holds the record of 12 victories.

TENNIS

He’s got a stranglehold on the No. 1 ranking. He’s unbeaten this week and hasn’t dropped a set. And his home Italian fans can’t get enough of him.

Things couldn’t get much better for Jannik Sinner at the ATP Finals so far — despite an ongoing doping case that likely won’t be decided until early next year.

Sinner and U.S. Open finalist Taylor Fritz advanced to the semifinals on Thursday at the season-ending tournament in Turin, Italy for the year’s top eight players.

Sinner won the round-robin group after a 6-3, 6-4 victory over 2020 champion Daniil Medvedev; and Fritz advanced in second after rallying past Alex de Minaur 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

Sinner was already assured of a spot in the last four before his match against Medvedev but still extended his winning streak to nine matches. Sinner beat Fritz in the U.S. Open final in September for his second Grand Slam title.

“I hope this match gives me confidence for the semifinals, where I’m hoping to raise the level,” Sinner said. “But honestly, I’m happy with the level I’m playing at right now.”

Last year, Sinner lost the final to Novak Djokovic, who pulled out injured this year.

Sinner is playing at home for the first time since it was announced before his U.S. Open title that he tested positive in two separate drug tests this year. A decision to clear Sinner of wrongdoing was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency in September and a final ruling is expected in 2025.

UFC

Jon Jones is widely considered the greatest fighter to ever strap on gloves in UFC — and he’ll have a familiar pair for his heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic.

UFC decided ahead of Saturday’s card at Madison Square Garden to ditch the ballyhooed new fight gloves unveiled in the spring designed in large part to stunt eye pokes that often render fighters unable to continue. It is the first major change of the protective equipment in more than a decade.

The new gloves were knocked out after six months.

The global MMA leader returned to its old school style of gloves for the UFC 309 card headlined by the Jones-Miocic title fight. The change appears permanent, in large part because of fighter complaints.

“The new gloves are now the old gloves,” UFC President Dana White said.

The new gloves had been used on cards held since UFC 302 in June.

Fighters balked from the outset about the gloves designed and engineered by sports equipment manufacture Vicis RDI. They said the gloves failed to deliver on the improved fit, greater comfort and maximum flexibility promised by the company.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

MiLaysia Fulwiley had 23 points and Chloe Kitts added 19 points and 10 rebounds as the No. 1 South Carolina women won their 41st straight game with a 92-60 victory over visiting Coppin State on Thursday night.

The Gamecocks (3-0) opened their home season by unfurling the national championship banner celebrating their 38-0 title run last year. Then they went to work at keeping their perfect start to this season going strong.

The Gamecocks won their 60th straight at home.

Laila Lawrence had 20 points to lead the Eagles (2-2).