During the 2,000m short-track mixed relay semifinals at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on 10/2, Stoddard lost balance and fell while leading on lap 12. Kim, who was closely behind, could not avoid the collision and crashed into the barriers.

Following the incident, the Korean athlete clutched her hip and had a bleeding right hand. Her teammate, Choi Min-jeong, continued the race for Korea, but the team finished third in their heat, behind Canada and Belgium, and therefore failed to qualify for the final. Only the two top teams from each heat advanced. Referees did not issue a penalty to the US team, and Korea did not receive a wild card.

Kim Gil-li (left), fell after impact from Corinne Stoddard, during the 2,000m short-track mixed speed skating relay semifinals at the Winter Olympics in the Milano arena, Italy, on the evening of 10/2. Photo: News1

Kim Gil-li (left), fell after impact from Corinne Stoddard, during the 2,000m short-track mixed speed skating relay semifinals at the Winter Olympics in the Milano arena, Italy, on the evening of 10/2. Photo: News1

Kim Gil-li (left), fell after impact from Corinne Stoddard, during the 2,000m short-track mixed speed skating relay semifinals at the Winter Olympics in the Milano arena, Italy, on the evening of 10/2. Photo: News1

This was not Stoddard's first incident at the competition. In the preceding quarterfinals, she also fell and nearly collided with Kim, though the Korean athlete managed to avoid her. In the women's 500m individual qualifiers, Stoddard fell again, impacting other athletes and leading to her elimination. Some athletes commented that the speed skating ice surface at the Milan arena was relatively soft, making it more suitable for figure skating.

After the mixed relay semifinals, Stoddard's social media accounts were flooded with critical comments in both Korean and English. According to Korean newspaper Chosun, these comments included: "World's best at falling", "Retire", "Did you put honey on your shoes?", and "demand she kneel and apologize to Koreans".

Stoddard, 24 years old, had to disable the comment function on her accounts, making these comments no longer visible.

Today, Stoddard posted a public apology on Instagram. "I want to apologize to my teammates for yesterday's performance. I also apologize to other athletes who may have been affected by me," she wrote. "Of course, what happened yesterday was not intentional. There is something wrong with me, and I will continue to find out the reason."

Subsequently, Stoddard announced a temporary break from social media, stating she would not let rumors affect her.

Some US team members, including Andrew Heo and Brandon Kim, also mentioned the ice quality, suggesting "the ice was too soft". However, the same competition conditions applied to all athletes.

US short-track legend Apollo Anton Ohno noted that ice conditions might be affected by new lighting systems and larger crowds. Ohno observed Stoddard was racing hastily under Olympic pressure. He analyzed that her habit of swinging her right arm forcefully could generate explosive speed when executed correctly, but excessive force destabilizes the upper body, leading to spins and falls. He advised her to adjust her mental state and prepare for uncertainties during competition.

Previously, at the Beijing 2022 Olympics, Stoddard suffered a fractured cheekbone and considered retirement. At the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics, Canadian athlete Kim Boutin also faced criticism after a collision with Choi Min-jeong. Boutin later disclosed she experienced psychological issues.

By Hoang An (based on Chosun)