Kamila Sellier sustains serious injury during Olympic speed skating
Polish speed skater Kamila Sellier was stretchered from the Milan Ice Skating Arena on Friday night after sustaining a shocking face injury at the Winter Olympics, reports BritPanorama.
The 25-year-old’s face was left covered in blood after a rival’s skate blade caught Sellier beneath her left eye as she fell on the ice during the women’s 1500m quarter-final.
Medical staff attended to Sellier immediately while a large white sheet shielded her from spectators. Despite the severity of the incident, she later gave a thumbs-up to the crowd as she was carried away, albeit leaving a trail of blood on the track.
The collision involved 14-time Olympic medallist Ariana Fontana of Italy and American skater Kristen Santos-Griswold. Santos-Griswold’s right skate struck Sellier as the three competitors tumbled together, prompting officials to halt the race while Sellier received treatment on the ice. Following the incident, Santos-Griswold was disqualified from the event.
Sellier was penalised for making an illegal lane pass that appeared to cause the crash. Fontana’s skinsuit was torn in the incident, and her physiotherapist treated her left hip during the stoppage. Sellier departed the arena after receiving stitches for cuts to her cheek and eyelid, and Polish officials later confirmed she was taken to hospital for additional tests.
“We are waiting for what the hospital tests will show,” stated Konrad Niedźwiedzki, press attache for the Polish speed skating team. Teammate Natalia Maliszewska, appearing shaken, said, “My thoughts are with her. I can’t think of anything else.” Fontana, meanwhile, recovered to reach the final, where she narrowly beat China’s Zhang Chutong at the finish line.
This incident underlines the inherent risks of competitive speed skating, a sport where intensity can lead to significant injuries in a split second. Athletes routinely push the limits, and events like these serve as stark reminders of the fine line between glory and injury on the ice.
