Olympic podium place is Vonn's target

BERLIN (AFP) - American downhill ski queen Lindsey Vonn, who has won the last two World Cups and was a double champion at the 2009 world championships, said Sunday her goal is a medal at next year's Winter Olympics.

Vonn, who turned 25 on Sunday, claimed both Downhill and Super G gold in Val d'Isere's world championships earlier this year and now has gold at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver next February firmly in her sights.

"I would be really happy if I managed to win a medal. It has been one of my dreams since I was small," Vonn told Sunday's edition of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung before the new season starts in Soelden, Austria.

"All that matters for me this season is to be on the podium during the Olympics."

But despite being the overwhelming favourite for Olympic gold in Vancouver, Vonn says she is feeling the pressure.

"Most people don't have much interest in the Alpine World Cup, it is the Olympics which really counts and they think I will win five medals which is unrealistic," she said.

Vonn took part in the 2002 and 2006 Olympics, but her best placing so far was sixth in the combined at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games.

At the Torino Winter Olympics in 2006, she crashed while training for the downhill race and had to be evacuated to hospital, but despite a bruised hip she returned the following day to compete and finished eighth.