The girl from Minnesota has become an Olympic champion and one of the best alpine skiers in the world.

With a grandfather and a father who were competitive skiers, Lindsey started skiing at age 3 and was racing by 7.

When Red Bull invited the 20-year-old Vonn to be part of their Athletes Special Project in 2005, it changed her career. The team, headed by legendary Tyrolean coach Robert Trenkwalder, gave her a new training program specifically tailored to her needs.

“At first I would question every new suggestion,” she says of her new training preogram. “During power training, for example, I wanted to know the exact benefits of each individual exercise. Gradually I saw my strength and performance improve, so my confidence in the program grew.”

Vonn shows off two gold medals won at the FIS Alpine Skiing World Championships at Val d'Isere in France.

During the 2009-10 season, Lindsey surpassed Bode Miller for most World Cup victories by a U.S. skier.

In 2007, Lindsey married fellow skier Thomas Vonn. “He comes to all my races, he can console me, motivate me or take my mind off things when it’s not going so well,” she said. But in November 2011 Vonn announced they were divorcing.

Even Maxim had to recognize Lindsey after she won Olympic gold in Vancouver, putting her in the Hot 100.

Lindsey won the ESPY for Best Female Athlete in 2010 after she became the first American skier to win three discipline titles in a single season, taking the Downhill, Super G and Super Combined crowns. On top of that, her third Olympic appearance netted gold in Downhill and bronze in Super G.

“If you work hard, it will pay off in the end,” Vonn says.