Monday, February 23 2026 -Polish speedskater Kamila Sellier has undergone surgery after suffering a serious facial injury during a crash at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
The accident occurred during the quarter-finals of the
women’s 1500m event when Sellier fell alongside Italian veteran Ariana Fontana
and American skater Kristen Santos-Griswold.
As Santos-Griswold went down, her skate blade struck Sellier beneath her left eye, causing a deep cut. The race was halted immediately while medical staff attended to the injured Polish athlete behind a protective screen. She was later stretchered from the rink but managed to give a thumbs-up gesture to spectators as she exited.
Polish team officials later confirmed that Sellier’s eye had not sustained immediate visible damage. She received stitches at the venue before being transferred to hospital for further examinations and surgery.
A spokesperson for the Polish team told the BBC that the
procedure was carried out to repair bone damage and clean the wound. Additional
eye movement tests were scheduled to rule out internal injury.
Polish Olympic Committee president Konrad Niedzwiecki said
Sellier experienced swelling following the operation but was in stable
condition.
Posting from hospital, Sellier thanked supporters and
reassured fans that she was “doing quite okay,” adding that the experience had
reminded her of her own resilience.
Teammate Natalia Maliszewska said she was shaken by the
incident, describing it as difficult to process. Fellow Polish skater Gabriela
Topolska noted that while such accidents are rare, blade-related injuries can
occur in short track racing.
The final of the 1500m went ahead later in the session, with
Dutch skater Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong claiming gold, followed by Norway’s
Ragne Wiklund and Canada’s Valerie Maltais.
Sellier’s recovery will now determine whether she is able to
compete again during the remainder of the Games.
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