Kamila Sellier After Complicated Facial Surgery: "I'm Stronger Than I Thought"

Dramatic scenes at the Milano Ice Skating Arena shook the sports world during the women's 1500-meter quarterfinals. Polish representative Kamila Sellier became the victim of a pile-up initiated by an illegal maneuver by American Kristen Santos-Griswold. As a result of the fall, Sellier was struck in the area of her left eye by the back edge of her rival's skate. Medical services immediately responded to the heavy bleeding, shielding the injured athlete with a white sheet from the view of shocked spectators, which is standard procedure for such drastic injuries. Konrad Niedźwiedzki, head of the Polish Olympic mission, reported that the operation performed in Milan was successful. Doctors cleaned the wound and set the damaged zygomatic bone, based on the results of a previously conducted CT scan. Although the athlete is battling significant swelling and still faces detailed tests on eyeball mobility, the initial diagnoses are optimistic: her eyesight has been saved. Sellier herself, breaking her silence, posted the first photo after the procedure, emphasizing her determination and strength in the face of a life-altering ordeal. Although short track has used cut-resistant Kevlar suits for years, the face remains one of the most vulnerable parts of the body. While no fatal accidents have been recorded in this discipline to date, the winter sports community still remembers the tragic 2023 incident from an ice hockey match in the United Kingdom, where player Adam Johnson died after an unfortunate skate cut to his throat.The competition judges made the radical decision to disqualify American Kristen Santos-Griswold, ruling that her aggressive overtaking attempt was the direct cause of the collision. Italian favorite Arianna Fontana also suffered in the incident, but her shoulder injuries proved minor. The entire event has sparked renewed media discussion about the safety of athletes in short track, where metal blades just 1.1 mm thick move at speeds exceeding 50 km/h. milimetry — separated the skate blade from the eyeball Kamila Sellier currently remains under close observation in a Milan hospital. The rehabilitation process will begin once the inflammation subsides and full eye muscle functionality is confirmed. Support for the Polish athlete is pouring in from around the world, and her attitude has been hailed as a symbol of the fighting spirit of this year's Games. „I am stronger than I ever believed I could be.” — Kamila Sellier