Olympic Medalist Opens Up About Cheating in Post-Race Interview
OLYMPIC MEDALIST – A Norwegian biathlon athlete surprised many people around the world by turning a post-race interview into a deeply personal moment during the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on February 10, 2026.
Sturla Holm Laegreid had just won the bronze medal in the men’s 20-kilometer individual event, a moment that should have been about celebrating his achievement. However, instead of focusing on the race, he opened up about a painful mistake in his personal life.
Laegreid shared that six months earlier, he had met someone he considers the love of his life. But three months before the Olympics, he admitted that he had made a serious mistake by being unfaithful. He revealed that he had already told his partner the truth about what happened a week before the competition. During the interview, he became emotional and appeared close to tears, showing how heavily the situation weighed on him. He explained that in the days leading up to the race, his personal struggles had consumed his thoughts, making it difficult for him to fully focus on the sport.
He acknowledged that many people might now see him differently after hearing his confession. Still, he wanted people to know that his feelings were only for his partner. He said he chose to speak openly because he wanted to be honest and hoped that she would understand how much she truly means to him. He admitted that he was not in the best mental state and that his emotions had affected him even during the competition.
In the race, Laegreid finished third after missing one target, placing 48.3 seconds behind his fellow Norwegian Johan-Olav Botn, who won the gold medal with a perfect performance in his Olympic debut. France’s Eric Perrot took the silver medal. The bronze marked Laegreid’s first individual Olympic medal, adding to his earlier success as part of a gold medal-winning relay team at the Beijing Olympics.
After the race, instead of celebrating, Laegreid was seen crying and hugging his friends. Later, he explained that speaking about his personal life on live television was a choice he made to take responsibility for his actions. He also expressed concern that his emotional moment might have drawn attention away from his teammate’s victory and said he regretted if it seemed selfish, emphasizing that he never intended to overshadow such an important achievement.