An Olympic medalist confessed to cheating on his girlfriend on live television just moments after his big win.
Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Lægreid took home the bronze medal on Tuesday in the Men’s 20km Individual race in the Winter Olympics in Italy.
But despite his triumph, the sportsman was overcome by emotion after he admitted to being unfaithful to his girlfriend of six months during a TV interview.
Speaking to Norwegian broadcaster NRK, Lægreid confessed: ‘There’s someone I wanted to share this with who might not be watching today.
‘Six months ago I met the love of my life and the most beautiful and kindest person in the world. And three months ago I made my biggest mistake and cheated on her, the 28-year-old,’ the 28-year-old lamented.
Lægreid went on to say that it had been ‘the worst week of my life,’ before tearfully declaring: ‘I had a gold medal in my life…I only have eyes for her. I don’t know what I want to achieve by saying this, but sports have been in a different line in recent days. So I wish I could share it with her.’
The Olympian went on to say that he wanted to be a ‘good role model’ but that ‘I have to admit when I make mistakes.
‘You have to admit when you do something you can’t stand for, and hurt someone you love so much.’
An Olympic medalist confessed to cheating on his girlfriend on live television just moments after his big win
Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm admitted to cheating on his girlriend of six months
Lægreid could be seen crying on camera as he made his shocking confession.
Viewers were quick to react to the sportman’s TV interview, with one X user commenting: ‘Here, the heartbreak runs so deep that he desperately tries to win back his love in true Hollywood style. I salute the man!’
Others mocked the athlete’s dramatic interview, with one social media user writing: ‘Dumbest thing I’ve ever seen…You never win back ladies this way. Only on film, never in real life.’
The admission comes after he won his first-ever Olympic bronze in a nerve-jangling men’s 20km individual biathlon race at the Antholz-Anterselva Biathlon Arena on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, compatriot Johan-Olav Botn stormed through the final lap to win an emotionally charged Olympic gold medal, while Eric Perrot of France came in second, 14.8 seconds behind the winner, to secure the silver medal.
Botn’s victory was a long-awaited moment of redemption for a Norwegian team still reeling from the December death of teammate Sivert Guttorm Bakken, and which missed out on the podium in Sunday’s mixed relay.
Botn kept his cool on the range, hitting all 20 of his shots on his four stops there before a controlled burst of power for the last lap saw him eclipse Perrot, who was left to rue his single costly miss.
‘Yes Sivert, we did it!’ Botn exclaimed after he crossed the line, in honour of Bakken.
Lægreid could be seen crying on camera as he made his shocking confession
The admission comes after he won his first-ever Olympic bronze in a nerve-jangling men’s 20km individual biathlon race at the Antholz-Anterselva Biathlon Arena
Eric Perrot of France, Johan-Olav Botn of Norway and Sturla Holm Lægreid of Norway celebrate with their medals after competing men’s biathlon 20 km individual during day 4 of the 2026 Winter Olympics
Norway’s Sturla Holm Lægreid men’s distance race 20 km biathlon during the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina in Anterselva, Italy
Starting at 30-second intervals with the top-ranked racers bunched in the middle of the pack, the competitors skied five four-kilometre laps, stopping four times at the range and alternating between shooting from the prone and standing positions.
The victor is decided by the lowest overall time, but each miss on the range adds a hefty one-minute penalty, often leading to sharp drops in the standings for the errant shooter.
After winning gold in the mixed relay, Perrot’s challenge came undone with a miss in the first standing shoot, and though his skiing was electric, he faded badly on the final lap, opening the door for Botn to blaze past him in the standings.
Laegreid made the most of a good day on the range, hitting 19 of 20 shots to sweep into the bronze medal position ahead of Finland’s vastly experienced Olli Hiidensalo, 48.3 seconds behind winner Botn.
