Speed skater stretchered out of Olympics after opponent's skate slashes face during race
A speedskater on the Polish Winter Olympics team had to be carried off the ice after being slashed by an opponent’s skate.
Kamila Sellier suffered a terrifying cut right beneath her eye during the 1500-metre quarter final race in short track speedskating.
The 25-year-old was just one of many on the ice competing for gold on Friday (20 February) when Team USA’s Kristen Santos-Griswold committed an illegal pass, causing Italy's Ariana Fontana, Sellier, and herself to crash.
The Polish skater was nicked by a competitor’s skate as she went down as her protective glasses flew off, with medical staff rushing to her aid as she began to bleed severely from her face.
Advert
In the chaos, the staff held up a white sheet to cover Sellier as they loaded her onto a stretcher before carrying her out of the Milan venue.
But before she was out of sight, the racer gave the crowd a thumbs up sign to signal she’s okay.
The incident caused the race to be paused until the track was clear of blood.
According to AP, Polish officials confirmed Sellier’s eye was fine, and that she had received stiches at the arena before being taken to hospital, where she underwent more tests.
Konrad Niedźwiedzki, press attache for the Polish speed skating team told reporters that Sellier had suffered a cut on her cheek and eyelid, explaining per The Mirror: “We are waiting for what the hospital tests will show.”
Due to her illegal pass, Santos-Griswold was disqualified from competing further at the Winter Olympics, and lost her chance at skating in the finals.
Fontana, who also fell, was found to have nicks in her speed suit but was able to continue with her journey after being seen by her physiotherapist, and managed to finish second in the quarterfinal and in the semifinal, before going on to make fifth in the final.
In the aftermath, Sellier’s teammates have spoken of their worry for her, with Natalia Maliszewska telling reporters: “My thoughts are with her. I can’t think of anything else.”
Similarly, teammate Gabriela Topolska, said: “These aren't common accidents, but they do happen. Kamila already has one of them, from a skate on her face. Kamila has a cut in her skin, with stitches.”
Just yesterday, Sellier appeared in an Instagram video with Topolska, appearing to joke about the ‘safe’ conditions as a speedskater.
The pair could be seen explaining that it’s ‘very safe’ on the ice, before cutting to a clip of one of them being slammed against the barrier along with an opponent during a race.
Topics: Extreme Sports, Sport, Winter Olympics, Olympics, Health
Britt Jones