Speed Skating Olympic Games Milano Cortina

Winter Olympics 2026: Poland’s Kamila Sellier says she is ‘quite OK’ post-surgery after taking blade to the face in short-track speed skating

React to this story

Polish speed skater Kamila Sellier said she is “quite OK” after undergoing surgery for injuries sustained in a serious crash during Friday's 1500m event. Sellier was stretchered off the ice after her face was sliced just below her left eye by a skate in a collision. Earlier, Poland's chef de mission Konrad Niedzwiedzki said Sellier would undergo more tests, including eyeball mobility.

Netherlands 'lift roof off the place' as Rijpma-de Jong gold confirmed

Video credit: TNT Sports

Kamila Sellier said she is "quite OK" in an Instagram post after ongoing surgery following a gruesome short-track speed skating incident at Milano Cortina 2026.

In Friday's 1500m event, Sellier went down in a collision with 14-time Italian Olympic medallist Arianna Fontana and America's Kristen Santos-Griswold, whose skate caught Sellier under her left eye. Santos-Grinwold was later penalised for an illegal lane pass in the lead-up to the incident.

The race was paused as Sellier underwent medical attention, and a white privacy sheet was pulled in front of the Polish skater as a trail of blood was left on the ice.

Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026

How speed skating turned to NASCAR and the 'tush push' at Olympics

17/02/2026 at 18:48

She was taken away from the arena on a stretcher with her head fastened, though gave a thumbs up to the crowd as she was taken away from the rink and to hospital.

"I know that one day I will look at this picture and remember that I am stronger than I ever believed," Sellier wrote on social media.

"Thank you for all your words of support, just wanted to let you know that I am doing quite OK."

Rijpma-de Jong seals speedskating gold by just 0.06 seconds

Video credit: TNT Sports

Earlier, Poland's chef de mission Konrad Niedzwiedzki said the speed skater had been "able to get up" after undergoing surgery on the facial injury.

Speaking to Eurosport Poland, Niedzwiedzki issued a positive update on Sellier's condition, and said she is set to undergo more tests on her eye.

"We know that Kamila underwent surgery," he said. "The damaged bone that showed up on the CT scan was, so to speak, set back in place and the area was cleaned.

"She was able to get up today. There is significant swelling, and she didn’t get much sleep during the night.

"According to what the head of the medical mission, Dr. Hubert Krysztofiak, told me yesterday evening, tests of the eyeball’s mobility are scheduled for today. Yesterday, the eye already underwent initial examinations and that was probably the most important thing for us."

Niedzwiedzki said the swelling on Friday "was very severe" and as a result, "it was difficult to clearly determine whether everything was fine with the eye".

"That was one of the first examinations carried out at the hospital," he said. "Our team doctor was with Kamila the entire time, and her parents were there as well, supporting her. Kamila was very brave - tough, like an athlete."

Niedzwiedzki confirmed Sellier underwent surgery on her cheekbone and that "it was corrected".

"Now we’re waiting for further tests and continued diagnostics," he added. "I don’t yet have information on whether Kamila will be discharged today - I suspect it may be difficult - or how long she will need to stay in the hospital."

Niedzwiedzki added he is in "constant contact" over Sellier's progress and when she may be discharged, as well as keeping in touch with her parents.

"The doctor will be updated, so we’ll gather all the information and, as we did yesterday, pass it on so that fans and loved ones don’t have to worry," he said.

Former speed skater and Eurosport Poland expert Aida Bella said the scenes in the Milano Speed Skating Stadium were distressing, with crashes a regular occurrence but serious injuries a rarer sight.

"Yes, accidents do happen, of course, but what we saw yesterday is not something that occurs very often," Bella said. "Everyone was terrified. I think not only the viewers at home - the whole arena seemed to freeze for a moment.

"It was hard to recover from the situation because no one really knew what had happened to Kamila. The images were dramatic.

"There was also tremendous support from the other athletes, who came over and asked about her."

And she revealed Fontana had been in contact to ask about the condition of her fellow racer.

US speed skaters embrace ‘tush push’ in pursuit of Olympic gold

Video credit: TNT Sports

"Yes, Arianna Fontana contacted me last night as well, asking about Kamila and asking me to pass along words of support to her and her family," Bella said.

"Everyone is deeply affected - especially since the crash happened in a race in which she was also competing.

"You could also see that after the collision she herself wasn’t entirely okay. That’s why everyone is so concerned.

"This sport can be very brutal. As I said, incidents where you actually see blood are not common - but when they do happen, they can be truly dangerous."

Watch every event of Milano Cortina 2026 live on discovery+. Available across all subscription plans, starting at £3.99.

Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026

'I dreamed of it' - Kok beats Leerdam to speed skating gold with new Olympic record

15/02/2026 at 22:20