"I cheated on the love of my life": shock at the Olympic Games

BarcelonaViewers in Norway watching the Olympic Games live on NRK were stunned by what they were seeing. Sturla Holm Laegreid had just won the bronze medal in the 20km biathlon and, when interviewed about his sporting success, launched into an astonishing monologue. "There's someone I wanted to share this with, even though she might not be watching. Six months ago, I met the love of my life: the most beautiful and kindest person in the world. And three months ago, I made my biggest mistake: I cheated on her." The journalist was just as surprised as the viewers.

In Norway, the country with the most medals in the history of the Winter Games and where Olympians are stars, people were rubbing their eyes in disbelief, as they hadn't asked him about his love life. "I had the gold medal in life, and I'm sure many people will see me differently now, but I only have eyes for her," added the biathlon expert, a sport where athletes ski and take breaks to shoot a rifle and score points. "Sport has taken a backseat these last few days. Yes, I would love to be able to share this with her. My only solution is to tell her everything, lay it all out on the table, and hope that she can still forgive me," he later told the Norwegian newspaper. VG.

Sturla Holm Laegreid, a six-time biathlon world champion and team gold medalist four years ago, is one of the most experienced athletes, having been involved in other controversies, such as when one of his race rifles discharged inside a hotel in 2023, resulting in a ban from competing in a World Championship. In these Games, Sturla Holm Laegreid finished third behind his compatriot Johan-Olav Botn, who won gold, and Frenchman Eric Perrot, who took silver. Laegreid missed only one target in the race and finished 48.3 seconds behind the winner.