Liu Shaoang believes he could have secured a medal in the 1500m final at the Winter Olympics had he not been impeded by Great Britain’s Niall Treacy, along with his Chinese teammate Sun Long. Treacy’s infraction caused both Liu Shaoang and his teammate to crash, dashing their medal hopes; the athlete who previously won Olympic gold finished seventh.
Sun Long fared worse, reportedly suffering a leg injury that Chinese media reported required several stitches at the venue. Liu Shaoang was understandably frustrated, stating after the race: “The British skater cut in front of me. He was disqualified, but that doesn’t matter to me now. Before the final, gold was within my sights, and a medal was definitely possible.”
Support from Former Flame in Britain
Understandably disappointed, Liu Shaoang and the Chinese team are frustrated by Niall Treacy’s actions. Although, in Britain, the skater is being celebrated. The BBC reported that “hearts are breaking for Niall Treacy,” adding that the prestigious publication believes a remarkable medal opportunity slipped away due to the collision.
The Daily Mail noted that Treacy could have been Britain’s first Olympic medalist in short track speed skating since Nicky Gooch’s 500m bronze in 1994. The publication described “the British star” as being disqualified “with a medal seeming within reach.” The collision with Liu Shaoang and Sun Long was labeled an accident, but the video review found Treacy at fault, though the report added he “performed well.”
Elise Christie, a three-time world champion short track skater for Great Britain and a former girlfriend of Liu Shaolin Sándor, likewise weighed in:
What a champion! So proud of you, kid!
Christie posted the message on her Instagram account, where it was visible for 24 hours, directed at Niall Treacy.
Poor Luck Continues for Liu Shaoang
Liu Shaoang has faced a string of unfortunate events at the Winter Olympics, repeatedly missing out on a medal. He previously finished fourth with the Chinese mixed relay team and won the B final to place sixth in the 1000m, but neither result was within his control. Two teammates made errors in the relay, and in the 1000m, a fall in front of him during the semi-final disrupted his rhythm.
