Chinese speed skater Lian Zhiwen was disqualified in the mens 1,000m event at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics following a collision with Dutch skater Yup Benemars, which affected the latters performance and caused a dispute between the athletes.
According to reports from Chinese media such as Zbo8, Lian Zhiwen spoke about the incident shortly after the race, stating that as he left the curve, he felt Benemars was very close to him. He admitted that his skate blade hit Benemars, but expressed confusion over why he was disqualified by the referee. Lian also mentioned that he apologized to Benemars for the incident, acknowledging the efforts athletes put into preparing for the Olympics. Despite his apology, Lian described Benemars reaction as very angry and physical, suggesting that such a response was unnecessary.
The collision occurred during the lane change in the Group 11 race at the Milan Speed Skating Stadium. Lian was moving from the in-course to out-course lane while Benemars was moving in the opposite direction, from out-course to in-course. According to speed skating rules, the skater moving from out-course to in-course has priority, meaning Benemars was entitled to that lane. However, the contact caused Benemars to lose balance and slow down, impacting his time. Benemars eventually finished fifth, with a time of 1:07.58, narrowly missing a medal by 0.24 seconds. The incident potentially cost Benemars a podium finish and was a source of his frustration.
Following the race, officials reviewed the incident and disqualified Lian Zhiwen for causing the collision during the forced lane change. Although Benemars was allowed to skate again after the other races had finished, his time did not improve sufficiently to win a medal. Notably, the bronze medal in the event was won by another Chinese athlete, Ninjung Yan.
Lian Zhiwens comments after the race indicated that while he recognized the impact of the collision on Benemars chances, he did not agree with the reasons for his disqualification. He also viewed Benemars strong reaction as unnecessary despite the incident affecting the competition. The event highlighted tensions on the ice and the competitive challenges faced during high-stakes Olympic events.
This article was prepared with the assistance of AI technology.
