Winter Olympics speed skater undergoes surgery after suffering gruesome injury
A speed skater at the Winter Olympics had to undergo surgery after suffering a horrific facial injury mid-race.
While injuries can happen in any sport at any level, there is a certain increase in gruesomeness when it comes to sports involving blades and high speeds, such as in the Winter Olympics.
And while several injuries have occurred at the games, from slamming on ski half pipes to ‘skier’s thumb,’ one of the more dangerous sports involves ice skating, mainly due to — you guessed it — the incredibly sharp skates you’re wearing as you’re racing/twirling/shooting a puck into a net.
Speed skater at the Winter Olympics Kamila Sellier had to undergo surgery after suffering a horrific facial injury mid-race. Pic: IOC via Getty Images
Such an injury ended up happening during a speed skating event to Poland’s Kamila Sellier, who had her face sliced open by a rival’s skate during the women’s 1500m quarter final at speed skating.
Sellier was racing 15-time Olympic champion Ariana Fontana of Italy and the US’ Kristen Santos-Griswold when the trio took a spill on the ice.
While a crash on the ice is normal — and how Australian speed skater Steve Bradbury ended up winning a gold once — the same couldn’t be said for Sellier, who suffered a nasty gash under her eye from Santos-Grisworld’s skate.
Kamila was slashed with her rival’s skate in the face during the crash, suffering a bad cut under her eye in the accident. Pic: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
The race ended up being paused while Sellier received medical attention behind a white sheet before eventually being stretchered out while covered in blood.
Sellier gave the crowd a thumbs up to indicate that she was alright, but the ice had to be cleaned due to the trail of blood that she inadvertently left behind, while she received surgery to her eye as well as further tests.
Thankfully, the Polish Olympic team have confirmed that she underwent successful surgery on Friday night, but will need further tests to make sure that no damage has been done to her eye.
‘Kamila had surgery last night. She’s in good condition,’ a Team Poland spokesperson told the BBC. ‘We’re waiting for further tests today, to check her eye for any signs of damage.’
‘Kamila underwent surgery to repair the damaged bone, everything was cleaned,’ Polish Olympic Committee President Konrad Niedzwiecki added to Eurosport. ‘She woke up this morning with significant swelling, she didn’t sleep much last night.
‘According to what the head of the medical mission, Dr. Hubert Krysztofiak, told me this evening, she will undergo eye movement tests today. Yesterday, the eye passed the first tests, and that was the most important thing for us.’
