Richard Nizielski
[2][3] The Australians were in third place when Nizielski lost his footing; they finished fourth and failed to reach the final.[5] In 1994, Nizielski was part of the short track relay team won Australia's first Winter Olympic medal, a bronze.Late in the race, Nizielski was fighting with his American counterpart for track position for the silver medal, but took the safe option and yielded, mindful of the lost opportunity following the crash in Albertville.[2] Nizielski recollected "At the last change [American] Eric Flaim got a good push-away and he stepped underneath my feet and stopped me."[2] Thus Steven Bradbury, Nizielski, Andrew Murtha and Kieran Hansen became Australia's first Winter Olympics medallists.[8][9] Bradbury, Nizielski and Kieran Hansen, three of the quartet that won Australia's maiden medal in 1994 returned with new teammate Richard Goerlitz, and there were hopes that they could repeat their Lillehammer performance.