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Team USA had a slippery time on the ice during two speed skating events at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Tuesday.
The first problem occurred during the third heat of the women’s 500 meters in short track speed skating. Corinne Stoddard faced the Chinese Wang Xinran, the Japanese Rika Kanai and the Italian Arianna Sighel.
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Corinne Stoddard, right, of the United States, crashes as Courtney Sarault of Canada avoids her while competing in the mixed team short track speed skating relay at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Stoddard had good pace from the start. She walked up the trail alongside Wang to get around it. As the skaters returned to the line, Stoddard fell and eliminated three of her opponents.
Stoddard was stunned when Kanai got up and finished behind Wang. Fellow American Kristen Santos-Griswold finished first in heat five and would advance to the final heat.
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American Julie Letai crashes while competing in the short track speed skating mixed relay team at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Then, in the B final of the short track speed skating mixed team relay B, Julie Letai suffered her own mishap, slipping and crashing into the padding. The American team finished fourth in the event.
Italy won the gold medal in the race, with Canada taking silver and Belgium taking bronze.
American Julie Letai, below, crashes into South Korean Kim Gilli while competing in the mixed short track speed skating relay at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Stéphanie Scarbrough)
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Both incidents were unfortunate, as medals were difficult to come by early in the Winter Olympics. As of Tuesday, the United States had won just two medals – both gold.
