What happened to Kamila Sellier? Olympic speed skater's health update explored after she was rushed to the hospital

Polish Olympic speed skater Kamila Sellier has been hospitalized after a competitor’s blade sliced above her left eye during the women’s 1500m at the Milano Cortina Olympics on February 20. The crash involved Ariana Fontana of Italy and Kristen Santos-Griswold from the U.S.

Fontana, Griswold, and Sellier battled for position in a tight formation when Santos-Griswold attempted an inside pass, leading to contact and a collision. Santos-Griswold was penalized for an illegal lane pass, which kept her from advancing through the quarter-final round. The race was stopped due to the injury.

Sellier, after the collision, remained down on the ice for several minutes, and officials brought out a white sheet to shield the player as she was tended to. Sellier gave a thumbs up to the crowd and was taken away on a stretcher, leaving a trail of blood on the final corner of the ice track. Konrad Niedwiedzki, press attaché for the Polish speed skating team and a former Olympian, mentioned that they are waiting for the hospital tests.

"We are waiting for what the hospital tests will show."

Niedwiedzki explained that Kamila Sellier suffered cuts to her cheek and eyelid, which required stitches. She departed the arena after treatment and sought additional medical evaluations. Italian player Fontana’s skinsuit was nicked, and she also received help from her physiotherapist during the pause.

Despite the incident, Fontana finished second to Hanne Desmet of Belgium. Santos-Griswold was penalized for the lane pass and appeared confused when informed by the referee. As per footage, Santos-Griswold can be seen fighting tears as she exited the ice.

More about Kamila Sellier

Kamila Sellier is a Polish short-track speed skater. Sellier is a two-time World Championship medalist and a four-time European Championship medalist.

Kamila began her career with her World Cup debut in Calgary in October 2015. She won a gold medal in the 1000 meters and silver in the mixed relay at the 2017 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Erzurum. In 2017, she was one of the five athletes nominated for the Piotr Nurowski Award for the best young athlete in Europe.

In January 2024, Kamila Sellier, along with Nikola Mazur, Diane Sellier, and Michael Niewinski, won a silver medal in the 2000m at the European Short Track Speed Skating Championships. In 2025, Sellier married French short-track speed skater Diane Sellier.

As Polish officials prioritize Sellier’s recovery, they have not announced a timeline or whether Sellier would be returning to the competition.

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