Milan: American short track speed skaters Brandon Kim and Andrew Heo expressed concerns over "soft" ice conditions at the Milano Ice Skating Arena on Tuesday, following a mishap involving their teammate during the mixed team relay semifinals at the Winter Olympics. Corinne Stoddard lost her balance and collided with South Korea's Kim Gil-li, leading to both teams being eliminated and relegating them to the consolation "B" final.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the challenging ice conditions were attributed to the heat generated by the large crowd present in the arena. "It's definitely kind of soft, softer than what we're used to," Heo commented, noting the difficulty in maintaining stability on the ice. The Milano Ice Skating Arena, which hosts both short track and figure skating, presents unique challenges due to the different ice requirements for each sport.

Brandon Kim highlighted the rapid deterioration of the ice, stating, "Obviously, we fell. So the ice was breaking down pretty quickly." Both Kim and Heo emphasized the need to adapt to these conditions despite the challenges. Kim expressed a preference for firmer ice to enhance durability during turns, while Heo mentioned the difficulty in pushing against the soft ice, which "just kind of breaks up from under you."

Stoddard, who also struggled during earlier events, nearly fell in the women's 500m heats and the mixed relay quarterfinals. Her teammates remain supportive, with Heo reassuring her post-race and remarking with relief, "At least she didn't break her nose, so we're all happy about that," referencing her previous injury at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.