Olympic horror as Kamila Sellier stretchered off after skate blade slices above eye

Polish short track speed skater Kamila Sellier was stretchered out of the arena after a competitor’s blade sliced above her left eye during the women’s 1,500 metres at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

The incident occurred Friday night at the Milano Ice Skating Arena when Sellier went down alongside Italy’s Ariana Fontana and American skater Kristen Santos-Griswold.

The race was immediately paused as medical staff rushed to treat Sellier on the ice. A large white sheet was held up to shield the scene from spectators inside the packed arena.

Sellier later gave a thumbs-up to the crowd as she was wheeled away on a stretcher, though blood was visible on the track and workers were forced to clean the surface before racing resumed.

Polish officials later said Sellier’s eye was not seriously damaged. She received stitches at the venue before being taken to hospital for further tests.

Santos-Griswold was penalised for an illegal lane pass that officials said contributed to the crash, preventing her from advancing past the quarter-finals.

Fontana’s skinsuit was also damaged in the incident and she received treatment to her left hip during the stoppage. The Italian skater recovered to finish second behind Belgium’s Hanne Desmet, securing a place in the semifinals.

Fontana later progressed to the final, narrowly edging China’s Zhang Chutong at the finish line.

The reigning Olympic silver medallist in the 1,500m had been attempting to move closer to becoming the most decorated Winter Olympian, a record currently held by Norwegian cross-country legend Marit Bjørgen.