Olympic medalist Sturla Holm Lægreid admits affair after bronze win

Sturla Holm Lægreid wins Winter Olympics bronze, opens up about personal affair in emotional TV interview

Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Lægreid won the bronze medal in the men’s 20km biathlon at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but he made international headlines for an unexpected revelation following his podium finish. 

During a post-race interview with Norwegian broadcaster NRK, Lægreid broke down in tears as he disclosed having an extramarital affair.

“Three months ago I made the mistake of my life,” Lægreid told NRK. “It has been the worst week of my life. I had the gold medal in life, and sport has come second these last few days.” Lægreid expressed regret and emphasized his desire to be a good role model while acknowledging his personal failings.

NEW: Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid admits to cheating on his girlfriend after winning a bronze medal at the Winter Olympics.

Sturla Holm Laegreid broke down in tears as he talked about the "worst week" of his life.

"I had a gold medal in my life, and there are… pic.twitter.com/VDB1pNlRue

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 10, 2026

The 25-year-old athlete, who previously won gold in the relay at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and holds 14 world championship medals, including seven gold, said he drew motivation from a supportive video from his home club to finish third. “You have to admit when you do something you can’t stand for and hurt someone you love so much,” he said.

Gold medalist Johan-Olav Botn dedicated his victory to his late teammate, Sivert Guttorm Bakken, who passed away in December. Botn pointed to the sky as he crossed the finish line and shouted, “We did it Sivert!”

After the medal ceremony, Lægreid reiterated his remorse, noting he would not reveal the identity of the woman involved but hoped for reconciliation. He acknowledged the timing of his interview might have affected his fellow competitors.