Vancouver , British Columbia ( CNN ) -- There was no way he should have been on that medal stand . Going into the final turn of Saturday night 's 1,500-meter short-track speed skating final , J.R. Celski was fifth . The South Korean skaters had a firm grasp on the gold , silver and bronze . And then inexplicably , two of the South Koreans crashed , and the 19-year-old Celski followed teammate Apolo Anton Ohno across the finish line to stunningly finish second and third . Kind of a miracle , but Celski has overcome much bigger odds . Five months ago , it would have impossible for someone to think Celski could win a medal , or even be here . He lay on the ice after a full-speed crash at the U.S . Trials , bleeding profusely , his left thigh sliced open by a skate blade . The cut was six inches wide and two inches deep . It would require 60 stitches . But first he had to remove the blade , which was still stuck in his leg . There was so much blood , he wondered if he was going to skate again . He did n't know it at the time , but the gash was just an inch from the main artery in his leg . Fortunately , the blade only cut muscle . `` When I was laying on that ice , I was in defeat at first , '' he said Sunday . `` I thought my whole career was over . But I guess in those moments is where we truly define ourselves . '' At the hospital , Celski asked someone to take a photo of the gash . It is a nasty picture , and while Celski is keen to show it to anyone who will have a look , it is the only time he reflects on the injury . `` After it happened , I knew I needed to get back on my feet , and the way to do that was to not think about it , '' he said . Celski jumped right into rehabilitation under the care of Dr. Eric Heiden , the speed skating legend who is now an orthopedic surgeon , and then Dr. Bill Moreau , the director for sports medicine clinics for the U.S. Olympic Committee . `` There are never any guarantees with an injury like this , but I will say this : Whatever happens to J.R. , it will not be because of a lack of effort . He is working so , so hard , '' Moreau told freelance writer Joanne C. Gerstner in early November . By October , Celski was able to throw away his crutches . Though he still could n't skate , he stayed motivated by going down to a rink near his place at the training center in Colorado and watching the skaters from a local club . He finally got back on the ice on November 16 , just eight weeks before the Olympics . It was difficult for him , and he was tentative and he skated very slowly , he said . `` I did have flashbacks at first , '' he said . He even fell a few times during training , which was a good thing because it helped his mental recovery . He found a toughness inside , he said , and his family helped immensely . It was as important as his physical rehabilitation . Before his injury , Celski was the heir apparent to now six-time medallist Ohno . Before his first Olympic race , his first since the crash , he was just a question mark . Now , with two races , the 1,000 meters on Saturday and the 5,000-meter relay on February 26 remaining , he 's a remarkable comeback story with an unending smile and a most unusual picture on his iPhone .
J.R. Celski takes bronze in the 1,500-meter short-track speed skating at Olympics . Two of the South Koreans leading the group unexpectedly crash in race . Five months ago , Celski 's left thigh was sliced opened by skate blade . He returned to the ice for first time just eight weeks before the Olympics .