Polish Olympic hopeful Kamila Sellier was carried off the ice on a stretcher Friday after a violent collision left blood pooling on the track and fans in stunned silence.
The frightening scene unfolded during the women’s 1500-meter short-track quarterfinal at the Milano Ice Skating Arena. What began as a routine battle for position turned chaotic in seconds.
American skater Kristen Santos-Griswold attempted an aggressive pass on the inside. Officials later ruled it an illegal lane change. In the split second that followed, blades tangled and three medal contenders went down hard.
Sellier and Italian legend Arianna Fontana were sent flying.
During the crash, Santos-Griswold’s skate struck Sellier directly in the face, just beneath her left eye. Witnesses gasped as the 25-year-old slammed into the protective barriers. The race was immediately halted.
Medics rushed onto the ice.
“There was visible blood on the surface,” one arena official said. “Our priority was stabilizing her and protecting her vision.”
Polish team representatives later confirmed that Sellier’s eye was spared serious damage — largely because she was wearing protective goggles. She required stitches and was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.
“The goggles likely prevented catastrophic injury,” a Polish team doctor said in a brief statement. “At this stage, her vision appears intact. Additional tests are ongoing.”
Despite the trauma, Sellier managed to give a thumbs up to the crowd as she was wheeled out — a moment that drew applause from the arena.
Meanwhile, Santos-Griswold was penalized for the maneuver and disqualified from advancing. The ruling reshuffled the field and reignited debate about the razor-thin margins in short-track racing, a sport notorious for high-speed contact and split-second decisions.
In the final, American Corinne Stoddard captured bronze. South Korea’s Choi Min-jeong took silver, while teammate Kim Gil-li claimed gold.
Short-track speed skating is one of the Winter Games’ most dangerous events. Athletes reach speeds near 30 miles per hour on tight indoor ovals. Blades are razor sharp. One miscalculation can end a season — or worse.
For Sellier, the focus now shifts from medals to recovery.
“She’s tough,” a Polish federation spokesperson said. “But this was a scary reminder of how quickly things can change.”
As investigations into the crash continue, the image of blood on Olympic ice will not soon be forgotten.
I am so sorry to hear what happened and I pray that she will be ok and will have a full recovery.🙏🙏🙏