Polish Speedskater Kamila Sellier Injured During Olympic Race

During the women’s 1,500-meter short track speedskating quarterfinal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Poland’s Kamila Sellier sustained a facial injury after being struck by an opponent’s blade. The incident caused a pause in the race as medical personnel attended to Sellier.

What Happened?

The accident occurred with nine laps remaining in the sixth quarterfinal heat. Sellier, ranked No. 20 in the world, lost her footing on a turn and crashed. The blade of American skater Kristen Santos-Griswold sliced Sellier above her left eye during the fall USA Today. Italian skater Ariana Fontana as well fell during the incident.

Sellier’s Condition and Treatment

Sellier was attended to on the ice for several minutes, shielded from view by a white sheet. She was then immobilized on a stretcher and taken off the ice, giving a thumbs-up to the crowd ESPN. She received stitches at the arena before being transported to the hospital for further testing. Polish officials have reported that Sellier’s eye is okay ESPN.

Penalties and Race Restart

Kristen Santos-Griswold was penalized for an illegal lane pass that contributed to the accident and did not advance to the semifinals ESPN. The race was restarted with only four athletes competing.

Other Athlete Updates

Ariana Fontana, a 15-time Olympic medalist, continued to compete after receiving treatment for a nick to her skinsuit and finished second in her heat, advancing to the semifinal round. She later advanced to the finals, narrowly edging Zhang Chutong at the finish line. Fontana has already won gold in the 2,000-meter mixed relay and silver in the 500 meters and 3,000-meter relay at the Milan Cortina Games ESPN.