Kamila Sellier required immediate treatment on the ice following a horrifying accident at the Winter Olympics on Friday which left her with a slash on her face. The Polish athlete was taking part in the quarter-finals of the women’s 1500 metres when she, Italy’s Ariana Fontana and USA’s Kristen Santos-Griswold collided and went to ground.

As the trio fell, Santos-Griswold’s blade caught Sellier on the face, immediately causing a wound as Sellier skidded across the ice and collided with the wall of the rink. The race was immediately put on hold as the athlete received attention from rink-side medics. A large white sheet was put up to give her privacy before she was stretchered away for further treatment as she gave the crowd a thumbs-up.

Polish officials confirmed that Sellier’s eye was thankfully okay, as she received stitches at the arena before she was transported to hospital for further evaluation. Konrad Niedźwiedzki, who is the press attache for the Polish speed skating team, told reporters: “We are waiting for what the hospital tests will show.”

Elsewhere, Sellier’s team-mates were quick to share their thoughts with the 25-year-old. Natalia Maliszewska said: “My thoughts are with her. I can’t think of anything else.”

Meanwhile, Gabriela Topolska added: “These aren’t common accidents, but they do happen. Kamila already has one of them, from a skate on her face. Kamila has a cut in her skin, with stitches.”

Fontana received assistance from her physiotherapist on her left hip during the break before finishing second to Belgium’s Hanne Desmet when the race resumed, making her way through to the semi-finals. Despite also making it to Friday’s final, Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong was ultimately crowned the champion of the event.

Speaking after her win, the Dutch athlete said: “It feels so incredible, it’s so nice to be standing here. This medal means everything to me. I already had (Olympic) silver and bronze medals, but Olympic gold was the one still missing. I’m so proud I did it. It can’t get any better. It’s insane. 

“Doing it in the 1500m, not even my best distance, is crazy. It’s surreal. Skating here with a full crowd of Dutch people, all yelling me to the finish line, was incredible.”

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