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Nazrin Abdul

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Polish short track speed skater Kamila Sellier has undergone surgery following a serious accident during the women’s 1500m quarter-finals at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, AzerNEWS reports.

The incident occurred on the final night of short track competition at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, when Sellier was brought down in a collision involving Italy’s 14-time Olympic medallist Arianna Fontana and American Kristen Santos-Griswold. Santos-Griswold was penalised for attempting an illegal pass that contributed to the crash. As she fell, her skate struck Sellier, slicing her under the left eye.

Racing was immediately paused while medical staff attended to Sellier behind a privacy screen. She was stretchered off the ice but managed to give a thumbs-up to the crowd, offering reassurance despite the severity of the injury.

The accident highlights the inherent risks of short track speed skating, a sport where split-second decisions and close racing often lead to dramatic collisions. Sellier’s surgery marks a difficult end to her Olympic campaign, while Fontana and Santos-Griswold were also impacted by the crash.