Elise Christie was taken out of the Gangneung Ice Arena on a stretcher after crashing on the last bend of her semi-final heat.

Christie tried to cut through to take second place but took out China’s Li Jinyu and slid into the barriers, where she was tended by medics.

The 27-year-old Great Britain medal hope was then taken out of the arena as the official race scoreboard showed that she had also been penalised.

Great Britain's Elise Christie (left) crashes out in the Short Track Speed Skating - Ladies 1,500m Semifinal 3. (Mike Egerton/PA)
Great Britain’s Elise Christie (left) crashes out in the women’s short track speed skating semi-finals

GB Chef de Mission Mike Hay said: “She took a heavy fall into the barrier.

“I’ve spoken to the performance director, Stewart Laing, who is in the ambulance with her on the way to hospital but it’s too early to tell – she’s going to have scans and we will see exactly what the story is.

“I saw her being carried off and a doctor is also in the ambulance with her but it’s too early to tell, we’ve got to give them a chance to scan and see.

“It’s tough but right now it doesn’t really matter about the race or whatever, it’s really her health we’re concerned about and the scan will tell us.”

Christie had earlier negotiated her heat comfortably.

But she has now crashed out of the 1500m and 500m events, leaving the 1000m as her remaining hope of an elusive Olympic medal, if she is fit enough to compete after her crash tonight.

Christie was hoping to her put her Sochi 2014 nightmare behind her in Pyeongchang but so far it has been a case of deja vu for the Scot.