US Skater Apologizes After Collision With Korean Athlete at Milan-Cortina 2026

American short track speed skater Corinne Stoddard apologized via social media after colliding with South Korea's Kim Gil-li during the mixed relay event at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

"I want to publicly apologize to my teammates regarding yesterday's performance," Stoddard wrote on her personal Instagram account on February 11 (Korea time). "I also apologize to all the athletes who may have been affected by me."

"What happened yesterday was unintentional," she emphasized. "I also wanted to perform well, but it seems there was something wrong with my physical condition. I will work through training to find the cause and return to my previous form."

During the semifinal heat 2 of the mixed 2,000-meter relay at Milan's Ice Skating Arena the previous day, Stoddard slipped and fell while leading the race. Kim Gil-li of Seongnam City Hall, who was trailing behind, had no time to avoid the collision and fell together with Stoddard. South Korea finished third in the heat, failing to secure a spot in the final, which was reserved for the top two teams.

Following the race, some fans flooded Stoddard's Instagram account with critical comments. After temporarily disabling comments, Stoddard reopened her account a day later to apologize to her US teammates and extend an apology to Kim Gil-li.

"I will be taking a break from social media for a while," she said. "There has been a lot of talk about yesterday's race, but I won't let those words occupy my mind." She added, "Thank you to everyone who continues to support me. Please bear with me a little longer."