Reinis Bērziņš, a Latvian short track athlete, spoke to journalists about his experience in the 500-meter heats at the Olympics held in Milan and Cortina. He aimed to maintain at least the third position during the race's final turn but faced an unexpected situation. After a collision between the leading competitors, Bērziņš attempted to overtake on the inside, which ultimately led to his fall and inability to proceed to the quarter-finals.

During the race, Bērziņš expressed that his focus was not on creating dangerous situations but on sensing the speed and feeling of the race. He believed that securing the third time would suffice for advancement, and he aimed to position himself effectively based on how the race unfolded. Despite his ambitions, Bērziņš acknowledged that he may have been overly eager to succeed, leading to his misjudgment in the critical moment of the race.

In his reflection, Bērziņš stated that he had seen the collision between the top two competitors, which prompted him to make a quick decision to attempt passing. However, he realized that his actions resulted in him slipping and failing to finish first, a moment he expressed regret over. Bērziņš's experience emphasizes the intense competition and split-second decision-making inherent in short track racing, as well as his commitment to continuously improving his performance.