The Norwegian Olympic athlete regrets having revealed his romance after winning a medal: “I wasn’t thinking clearly”
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Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid apologized and admitted that he regrets having confessed to cheating on his ex-girlfriend after winning a bronze medal at the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.
“I deeply regret sharing this personal story on what was a day of celebration for Norwegian biathlon,” Laegreid said in a statement released by the Norwegian team on Wednesday.
Sturla Holm Laegreid of Norway reacts after winning bronze, and is comforted by teammate Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold after the men’s individual 20-kilometer biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
“These days I’m not myself and I’m not thinking clearly. My apologies go to Johan-Olav (Botn), who deserved all the attention after winning gold. Also to my ex-girlfriend, who ended up in the media spotlight reluctantly. I hope she does well. I can’t undo this, but now I’ll put it behind me and focus on the Olympics. I won’t answer any more questions about it.”
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Laegreid initially became one of the most viral stories from the Milan Cortina Olympics this week when he admitted to his affair after the men’s biathlon on Tuesday. He fought back tears as he shared “the biggest mistake“of his life.
“There is someone I wanted to share it with who may not be seeing today. Six months ago, I met the love of my life, the most beautiful and kind person in the world. Three months ago, I made my biggest mistake and I cheated on her,” Laegreid told NRK in Norway.
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Sturla Holm Laegreid of Norway competes in the men’s individual 20-kilometer biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
“I told him a week ago. It’s been the worst week of my life.”
He was distraught, crying and hugging his friends after the race. During a press conference, he explained why he decided to tell the world about his personal situation on the broadcast.
“It was the choice I made. We make different decisions throughout our lives, and that’s how we do life,” he told a room full of reporters. “So today I made the decision to tell the world what I did, so maybe, maybe there’s a chance she’ll see what it really means to me. Maybe not.
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“There are probably many who look at me with different eyes, but I only have eyes for her,” he added. “In recent days, sport has taken a slightly different place in my life. Yes, I would like to be able to share it with her.”
Laegreid’s ex-girlfriend indicated that she was not willing to take him back in in an anonymous interview with a Norwegian media outlet.
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Bronze medalist Sturla Holm Laegreid of Norway reacts on the podium in the men’s 20km individual biathlon event during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Anterselva Biathlon Arena in Anterselva on February 10, 2026. (Odd Andersen/News via Getty Images)
“It’s hard to forgive. Even after a declaration of love in front of everyone. I didn’t choose to end up in this situation and it hurts to have to be in it. We’ve been in contact and he knows my opinion on the matter,” she said. he told VG.
“(I am grateful) to my family and friends who have embraced and supported me during this time. Also to everyone else who has thought of me and shown solidarity without knowing who I am.”
News Digital’s Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to Title IX enforcement and in mainstream media outlets such as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The News and ESPN.com.