Team GB's Olympic short track speed skating campaign has suffered an early setback at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, with Niall Treacy crashing out in dramatic fashion during his opening race.
Disappointing Start for Britain's Lone Short Track Representative
The 25-year-old from Henley-in-Arden, competing as Team GB's only short track speed skater at these Olympics, saw his hopes in his favoured 1,000m event evaporate following a collision with Canadian medal favourite Steven Dubois. Treacy had taken to the ice at the Milano Ice Skating Arena on 10th February 2026 with high expectations, having previously won bronze in this distance at the 2024 European Championships.
Race Incident Deemed 'Shared Responsibility'
The elimination came during Treacy's heat, where the top two finishers would automatically progress to the quarter-finals. The British skater started strongly, edging into an early lead and setting a hard pace as part of his race strategy. However, disaster struck when Dubois attempted an inside overtake on a corner, resulting in both athletes colliding and being taken out of the race.
Umpires ruled the incident as 'shared responsibility', meaning neither skater received penalty cards but both were eliminated from competition. This decision left Treacy particularly frustrated, as he felt the Canadian's move was 'a little bit too tight and a little bit too late on the overtake'.
Treacy's Olympic Journey Continues
Despite this setback in his preferred event, Treacy remains philosophical about his Olympic experience. 'It's obviously a little bit frustrating to have that fall with shared responsibility,' he admitted. 'That was the race plan I wanted to do. To go out and set a hard pace but that's the way my 1000 ends.'
The British skater now turns his attention to his remaining events, with the 1,500m presenting his next opportunity for redemption on 14th February. This longer distance has shown promise for Treacy recently, with the athlete coming within milliseconds of bronze at the 2026 European Championships in the Netherlands, finishing just 0.046 seconds behind Italy's Thomas Nadalini.
Looking Ahead to Further Competition
Treacy, who has also qualified in the 500m event, remains determined to make his mark on these Olympics. 'I've got a few days now so I can dust myself back off and come back out for the 1,500m,' he stated, reflecting on lessons learned from the crash. 'I might need to close off the overtake earlier on and give myself run. It's just frustrating that it happened there.'
The world number 13 in the 1,000m event will be hoping to channel his disappointment into improved performances in his remaining races, as he continues to represent British short track speed skating on the Olympic stage.
