Day 8: Niall Treacy returns for 1500m night at Milano Cortina 2026
- 24 hours ago
- 2 min read
It’s 1500m night in short track speed skating - the distance where pace, positioning and split-second decision-making matter just as much as raw speed. Niall Treacy continues his Olympic campaign this evening, with the men’s 1500m moving from quarterfinals all the way through to the medal race.
Short track is raced head-to-head on a tight 111.12m oval, with skaters jostling for the inside line and timing their passes perfectly over 13½ laps.
Today’s schedule (UK time) for Niall Treacy
The men’s 1500m builds quickly through the evening:
7:15pm — Quarterfinals
8:49pm — Semifinals
9:35pm — Final B
9:42pm — Final A (medals)
Times are listed in UK time and remain subject to event-day schedule changes.
How the 1500m format works
The 1500m is a rapid-fire event: the key rounds happen on the same day, and the athletes who reach the podium only skate three races (quarterfinal, semifinal, final).
Quarterfinals (7:15pm)
Four races, with seven skaters in each.
Top three in every race advance.
Semifinals (8:49pm)
Three races, with six skaters in each.
1st & 2nd in each semifinal advance to Final A (medal race).
3rd & 4th in each semifinal advance to Final B (placement race).
Finals (from 9:35pm)
Final B decides places 7–12.
Final A decides places 1–6 — including the medals.
What makes the 1500m different
Unlike the pure sprint of the 500m, the 1500m is often a chess match at 45km/h:
Patience vs. pressure: early laps can be tactical, with skaters saving energy before the pace ramps up.
Positioning is everything: holding the inside line through the turns can be the difference between controlling the race or getting boxed in.
Passing windows are tight: most moves are made on the straights — too early and you burn energy, too late and there’s no space.
Anything can happen: contact, penalties and disqualifications can reshape a race in an instant, which is part of what makes short track so unpredictable.
How to watch in the UK
UK coverage of Milano Cortina 2026 is available via TNT Sports and discovery+, with the BBC also providing selected coverage and programming across TV and iPlayer.
Follow along with British Ice Skating
We’ll have updates across British Ice Skating channels throughout the evening - and you can find the latest schedules, viewing guidance and round-ups in the BIS Olympic Hub.
And if tonight’s speed has you inspired to get on the ice yourself, explore Inspire to Skate - our campaign celebrating the power of the Olympic Games to bring new people into skating across the UK.