In the quarter-finals of the 1500m event at the Winter Olympics in Milan, Croatian speed skaters Valentina Aščić and Katarina Burić finished in fifth place in their respective heats, failing to qualify for the semi-finals. The top three racers from each group, along with the four fastest fourth-place finishers across six groups, advanced to the next round. Aščić started strong, briefly leading the race but eventually fell behind, while Burić, making her Olympic debut, struggled to maintain her position and only advanced to fifth after another racer fell.

Aščić's performance showed promise as she initially led her race but could not sustain it and ultimately ended her chances of advancing to the semi-finals. As the race progressed, she found herself dropping down from third to fifth, unable to regain her momentum. Burić struggled in her first Olympic event, facing challenges in maintaining her speed and position, which illustrates the competitive nature of Olympic-level racing. Despite a brief moment of advancement to third, she too was unable to secure a place in the next round.

Both athletes faced tough competition from strong representatives from China and South Korea, emphasizing the high stakes and intricate dynamics of short track speed skating at the Olympics. With their early exit, Aščić and Burić will look to reconvene and aim for improvement in future competitions.