Brendan Corey, a 29-year-old Australian short track representative, has made a return to ice skating after experiencing a traumatic incident a year ago during a competition in Beijing where he severely injured his neck. Competing in the preliminary round of the 1000m event at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Corey finished fourth in his heat with a time of 1:26.052, unfortunately missing the cut for the semifinals. Despite the disappointing result, he finds this race holds significance beyond just a score, as he focuses on moving forward and improving his performance in upcoming events.

Last March, Corey faced a near-fatal accident during the 1000m quarterfinals at the World Championships in Beijing. While competing, an opponent lost balance and fell, causing their skate blade to slice Corey’s neck. The accident resulted in him colliding forcefully with the rink wall, where he remained unaware of the severity of his injuries until arriving at the hospital. Medical examinations later revealed deep lacerations to his neck and a fracture of the thyroid cartilage, leading him to abstain from speaking for three weeks and survive on liquid foods, with doctors comparing his injuries to those sustained in a car accident.

Originally from Canada, Corey transitioned from hockey to short track skating and has since shown himself to be a formidable competitor, having participated in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and winning a bronze medal in the 1500m at the 2024 World Championships. He still has events left in the Olympic agenda, specifically the 1500m and 500m, and aims to rebound, particularly in his primary event, the 1500m, with the semifinals scheduled for the 14th and the 500m heats on the 16th.