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Lindsey Vonn claims to be playing 'mind games' after posting third-place downhill training run

Credit to Lindsey Vonn, she was at least creative in explaining why her training run didn’t top the competition.

Vonn posted a 1:40.10 time during her second downhill training run at the Jeongseon Alpine Centre on Monday in Korea, good for third in the field. However, Vonn isn’t chasing third in the downhill, in which she won gold during the Vancouver Games, so you’d think she’d be a little disappointed with her performance.

However, Vonn explained why, at least for this run, bronze could help translate to gold.

“I was trying to slow myself down. I actually didn’t want to win the training run today. I like letting other people think that they’re faster,” Vonn said in an interview with NBC. “In skiing there are a few things you can do to play mind games so I use every opportunity.”

Lindsey Vonn has some fun after finishing her downhill training run at the PyeongChang Olympics. (AP Photo)
Lindsey Vonn has some fun after finishing her downhill training run at the PyeongChang Olympics. (AP Photo)

There’s a chance Vonn might have said that in jest, but the fact that she finished with the top time during the first training runs on Sunday supports the argument that she might have held something back with this run.

Whatever Vonn was trying to do on Monday, the pressure is officially on the 33-year-old after her disappointing sixth-place finish in the Super-G. The downhill has long been her best event and she could be the only Team USA contender with fellow star Mikaela Shiffrin non-committal about competing in the finals on Wednesday.

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