In the early morning of February 21, the quarter-finals of the short distance speed skating event at the 2026 Winter Olympics witnessed a serious accident that caused the track to fall into chaos.
Polish athlete Kamila Sellier suffered an eye injury after a collision with an opponent while competing for a position at high speed.
The incident occurred when Sellier was cornering at high speed and lost balance. In that moment, she fell onto the ice, while athlete Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA) in front did not have time to avoid it. The knife blade under Santos-Griswold's skate shoes accidentally stroked Sellier's face, causing a deep tear in her eye. The fall caused the 25-year-old female athlete to skid on the ice before hitting the barrier wall on the edge of the track.
Immediately, the medical team entered the field to approach Sellier, stop the bleeding and check the injury condition on the spot. After being given first aid, Sellier was taken off the track on a stretcher to continue in-depth examination.
Before leaving the field, the Polish athlete still managed to raise his hand towards the audience as a gesture of reassurance.
European newspapers reported that Polish sports officials confirmed that Sellier's vision was not seriously damaged. The wound was sewn right in the competition area, after which she was transferred to the hospital for further tests to assess the long-term extent of the impact.
Meanwhile, Kristen Santos-Griswold was penalized by the referee for illegal overtaking in a situation leading to an accident. The penalty caused the American athlete not to recognize the result and to be eliminated from the next round.
The organizers emphasized that compliance with regulations on overtaking and keeping lanes is a key factor to ensure safety in speed skating, where athletes often reach very high speeds in narrow competition spaces.
Kamila Sellier is one of the prominent faces of Polish short-distance speed skating in recent years. She has won 2 medals at the World Championships and 4 gold medals at European Championships.
Sellier is highly appreciated for his cornering technique and acceleration ability at the end, often appearing in the medal-scoring group in major tournaments.
The organizers and the International Skating Federation said they will continue to review safety procedures, while emphasizing the role of technical training in overtaking and handling situations for athletes.
The Polish team has not yet made a decision on Sellier's ability to continue competing at this year's Olympics, the top priority is to ensure the health and vision of the athlete before considering further plans.
