Blade Slices Over Kamila Sellier's Eye in Olympic 1500m; Quarterfinal Halted After Crash

Kamila Sellier of Poland was injured when an opponent's blade sliced above her left eye during a fall in the women's short-track 1, 500-meter quarterfinals at the Winter Olympics, forcing officials to stop the race and prompting immediate medical attention.

Kamila Sellier: injury, treatment and immediate response

Sellier led the sixth quarterfinal heat with nine laps remaining before being passed. With six laps left she lost her footing on a turn and crashed; the blade of an opponent sliced her above the left eye as multiple skaters went down. Sellier, who is ranked No. 20 in the world, remained on the ice for several minutes while medics attended to her under a white sheet brought out by officials. She received stitches above the eye inside the arena, was placed on a stretcher, wheeled out to applause and taken to a hospital for further medical attention. Recent updates indicate details may evolve.

Skaters in the event typically wear helmets without face shields and often use protective eyewear. In this incident Sellier's glasses were knocked off by the impact with the blade.

Race fallout: penalization, results and what changed

The crash involved multiple skaters falling, and officials stopped the race because of the injury. The American skater involved in the collision was penalized for an illegal lane pass that led to the incident and did not advance to the semifinals, effectively ending her Olympic campaign in that distance. She appeared confused when informed of the penalty, fought back tears, then put on blade guards and exited the ice.

With the quarterfinal halted and the penalization applied, the semifinals lineup changed. The remaining podium places in the event were filled by other competitors: one athlete took gold, another silver, and an American won bronze in the 1, 500-meter race.

Context, implications and what comes next

The stoppage highlights the acute physical risks of short-track speed skating, where tight packs, high speeds and exposed blades can combine to produce serious injuries. Sellier's removal on a stretcher and transfer to hospital underscores the priority given to athlete safety in such moments. The penalization removed the involved skater from medal contention in this distance.

For Sellier, the immediate focus is medical care and recovery; for the penalized skater, the outcome ends her progression in the event. Officials and teams will monitor Sellier's condition and any medical updates before decisions are made about further competition participation. Details may continue to develop as more information becomes available.

Summary timeline:

• Sellier led with nine laps to go in the sixth quarterfinal heat of the 1, 500m.
• With six laps remaining she lost footing, crashed and was cut above the left eye by an opponent's blade.
• Officials stopped the race; Sellier received stitches in the arena, was stretchered out and taken to hospital.
• The skater whose blade caused the cut was penalized for an illegal lane pass and did not advance to the semifinals.
• Podium finishers for the 1, 500m were decided with other competitors taking gold, silver and bronze.

All details in this article are based on immediate updates from the event; further medical and official statements may provide additional information.