- British short track speed skater Niall Treacy missed out on a medal at the 2026 Milan Games due to a series of crashes and penalties.
- No British athlete has won an Olympic event in short track since Nicky Gooch’s bronze medal at Lillehammer 1994.
- The sport faces challenges due to funding and lack of training facilities in the UK.
- Short track is a chaotic, unpredictable sport with few international venues suitable for competition.
Treacy’s Struggle at Milan 2026
Niall Treacy, Britain’s lone short track speed skater in the 2026 Winter Olympics, had a tough time. He crashed out of three events—500m, 1,000m, and 1,500m—and was penalized for impeding Liu Shaoang.
“If we only had a bit more support going through the Olympic cycle,” Treacy said after his final race. “In the UK we don’t even have an ice centre which is safe enough for competitions.”
The Long Road to Success
Short track speed skating has been a hard road for Britain since Nicky Gooch’s bronze medal at Lillehammer 1994. Eight years later, Treacy is the sole British representative in this discipline.
In 2018, GB sent five skaters to PyeongChang, with short track being a key hope for medals. But funding was withdrawn after the team failed to deliver, highlighting the precarious nature of Olympic sports funding in Britain.
The Chaotic World of Short Track
Short track is chaotic and unpredictable. Christie, Britain’s most recognisable speed skater a decade ago, saw her Olympic dreams shattered by a series of crashes and disqualifications. Treacy’s luck was out too, with the 1,500m final being unusual due to three athletes advancing illegally.
The sport requires an international venue with safe facilities, but Britain lacks this infrastructure. This means that Treacy trains in the Netherlands, sometimes with the Dutch national team—an experience he said can be demoralising.
Future Prospects
Treacy is still a valuable asset for British short track. At 25 and after his third Olympics, he could compete again in 2030 if he stays fit. His performance at the 2024 European Short Track Championships, where he won silver in the 1,000m, provides hope.
“This sport is so crazy,” Treacy said after his final race. “Hopefully it inspires some other people to get involved because it is fun.”
The British hopes for short track speed skating remain slim but not impossible. The future depends on funding and improved facilities.
