MILAN — Polish short-track speedskater Kamila Sellier was transported on a stretcher from the Milano Ice Skating Arena on Friday night following an incident in which a competitor’s blade cut her above her left eye during the women’s 1,500 meters at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
Sellier fell alongside 15-time Olympic medalist Ariana Fontana of Italy and American skater Kristen Santos-Griswold, who was penalized for an illegal lane change that contributed to the incident, preventing her from moving on to the quarterfinals.
The competition was halted while Sellier received medical attention, with a large white sheet shielding her from the crowd that filled the arena for the final night of short-track speedskating. in the end, she gave a thumbs-up to the audience as she was taken away, leaving a trail of blood in the last corner of the track that required cleanup during the break.
According to Polish officials, Sellier’s eye was not severely affected. She received stitches at the arena before being transported to a hospital for further examinations.
Fontana sustained some damage to her skinsuit and received assistance from her physiotherapist for her left hip during the interruption. She ultimately finished second to Hanne Desmet of Belgium, allowing her to advance to the semifinal round.
She then moved on to the finals, barely beating Zhang Chutong at the finish line.
Fontana, the current Olympic silver medalist in the 1,500, aimed to tie Norwegian cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen as the most decorated Winter Olympian. Earlier in the Milan Cortina Games, Fontana secured gold in the 2,000-meter mixed relay and silver in both the 500 meters and 3,000-meter relay.
