Niall Treacy’s Olympic dream dashed in short track final
Team GB speed skater Niall Treacy saw his Olympic medal hopes vanish in dramatic fashion during Saturday’s men’s 1500m short track final at Milan Cortina, reports BritPanorama.
The 25-year-old was in third position with five laps remaining when he moved wide on a bend and collided with China’s Sun Long. Both competitors were sent crashing into the padded barriers, ending their medal aspirations instantly.
Officials conducted a VAR review and determined Treacy was responsible for the incident. As a result, the British skater was penalised, which saw him drop from sixth place at the finish line down to ninth in the final standings.
Treacy’s presence in the final marked a significant achievement, considering his ranking as the world’s 22nd competitor in the discipline. His Olympic journey had previously included a 27th place finish in the 1000m at Beijing four years ago and an early exit in the opening round of the same event at this Olympics.
Despite this setback, Treacy earned a European bronze medal in 2024 and recorded a top-10 finish at the world championship level. His campaign in Milan proved transformational—he had finished second in his quarter-final and won his semi-final, coming tantalisingly close to becoming Britain’s first speed skating medallist since Nicky Gooch won bronze in 1994.
Although he led the race at one point, he slipped back to third before the collision ended his challenge. Gold went to Dutch skater Jens van ‘T Wout, who secured his second short track title of these Winter Olympics, followed by South Korea’s Hwang Daehoen with silver and Latvia’s Roberts Kruzbergs taking bronze.
Post-race, Treacy maintained his composure when speaking to TNT Sports, stating: “It’s not the result that you want when you go to the final. I didn’t see the guy; I felt like I was still trying to build speed.” He added, “If you told me at the start of the day, ‘you’re gonna be in an Olympic Game final,’ maybe I wouldn’t have believed you, so yeah, it’s not the result, but I’m really proud of what I did today.”
Former Team GB skater Wilf O’Reilly expressed disappointment during BBC coverage, noting Treacy had performed superbly and appeared a genuine podium contender.
In an unpredictable sport where swift turns can lead to such heartbreaking outcomes, Treacy’s experience serves as a reminder of the fine line between glory and disappointment in the pursuit of Olympic dreams.
