A Polish speed skater had to be stretchered off the ice after a terrifying accident during the Winter Olympics.
Kamila Sellier, 25, was competing in the 1500-metre short track quarterfinal when she was cut below her eye by a competitor’s skate.
The crash happened after Team USA’s Kristen Santos-Griswold made an illegal pass. Sellier, Italy’s Ariana Fontana, and Santos-Griswold all fell in the collision.
Medical staff rushed to help Sellier as she bled from her face. She was covered with a white sheet and carried out on a stretcher. Before leaving, she gave the crowd a thumbs up to show she was okay.
Polish officials confirmed Sellier’s eye was not seriously injured. She received stitches at the arena and was later taken to hospital for further tests. Team press officer Konrad Niedźwiedzki said the cut was on her cheek and eyelid.
Santos-Griswold was disqualified from the Olympics due to the illegal pass, ending her chance to compete in the finals. Fontana, despite nicks on her suit, continued and finished fifth in the final.
Teammates expressed their concern for Sellier. Natalia Maliszewska said, “My thoughts are with her. I can’t think of anything else.” Gabriela Topolska added, “These aren’t common accidents, but they do happen. Kamila already has one of them, from a skate on her face.”
The incident paused the race temporarily while the ice was cleaned of blood. Sellier’s fans and teammates hope for a full recovery as the Olympics continue.
