After his infamous confession about cheating on his ex-girlfriend during the Winter Olympics, Sturla Holm Laegreid found himself in a new controversy after winning his second bronze medal. The Norwegian biathlete finished third in the men’s sprint just ahead of Emilien Jacqueline by 0.2 seconds.
An event marked by high tension saw Quentin Fillon Maillet win gold and Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen silver. Laegreid’s performance was bested by Jacquelin in one of the tightest finishes in the competition. Jacquelin lost out on the podium by the narrowest of margins, adding to the intensity of their post-race interactions.
WINTER OLYMPICS 2026: FULL INFORMATION
After the race, Laegreid made a light-hearted remark in an interview with Norwegian television station NRK, joking that Jacquelin may have stopped to talk to the crowd during his final lap.
Jacquelin did not find the comment amusing and responded strongly in comments published in Norwegian newspaper VG. The French biathlete trolled Laegreid by calling him a cheater and vowing revenge.
“I was beaten by a cheater, my God,” an exasperated Jacqueline told VG. “I’ll beat him on Sunday, we’ll see,” Jacquelin said.
HOW DID LAEGREID CONFESS TO CHEATING?
Laegreid secures third place in the 20km individual event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Gamesbut it was his unusual remarks in a post-race interview on February 11 that grabbed most of the attention.
“There’s someone I wanted to share this with who might not be watching,” he told Norwegian state broadcaster NRK. “Six months ago I met the love of my life – the most beautiful and kindest person in the world. Three months ago I made my biggest mistake and cheated on her.”
“I had a gold medal in my life and I’m sure there are many people who will see things differently, but I only have eyes for her. Sport has come second in recent days. Yes, I wish I could share it with her,” said Laegreid.
Since then, the Norwegian has been criticized for putting his former partner in a difficult position and trying to steal the spotlight from his teammate Johan-Olav Botn. Laegreid’s ex-girlfriend responded to the matter and decided to keep her name published to avoid publicity.
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Published on:
February 14, 2026