Norwegian athlete Sturla Holm Lægreid’s ex-girlfriend is speaking out after he went viral for confessing to an affair when he won a medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The woman spoke to Norwegian outlet VG on Wednesday, February 11, noting that the infidelity was “hard to forgive” despite Lægreid’s “declaration of love in front of the whole world.”
“I did not choose to be put in this position, and it hurts to have to be in it,” she said. “We have had contact and he is aware of my opinions on this.”
Lægreid’s ex-girlfriend asked to remain anonymous, adding, “[I am grateful] to my family and friends who have embraced me and supported me during this time. Also to everyone else who has thought of me and sympathized, without knowing who I am.”
Lægreid, 28, received a bronze medal at the Olympics in Italy after competing in the men’s 20km biathlon on Tuesday, February 10.
“There is someone I wanted to share this with who might not be watching today,” he told NRK after the event, calling his ex “the most beautiful and kindest person in the world.”
Lægreid said being unfaithful to her was “the biggest mistake” of his life, explaining that he confessed to her one week prior and went on to have “the worst week of my life.”
“I had the gold medal in life, and I am sure there are many people who will see things differently, but I only have eyes for her,” he shared. “Sport has come second these last few days. Yes, I wish I could share this with her.”
He continued: “I try to be a good role model, and I did something stupid. You have to admit when you do something you can’t stand for and hurt someone you love so much.”
In a subsequent press conference, Lægreid told reporters that he wasn’t sure if his public declaration was “the right choice or not,” but it “was the choice I made.”
“Today I made the choice to tell the world what I did, so maybe, maybe there is a chance that she will see what she really means to me,” he added. “And maybe not, but I don’t want to think I didn’t try everything to get her back.”
Before the public moment, Lægreid opened up about participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics, which officially began earlier this month.
“I want to be the guy everyone wants to beat,” he previously told Biathlon World. “It is more fun like that. It means you have done something good and people look up to you. If you are not prepared to carry that, then you are not prepared to keep it.”
Lægreid noted that he had a plan for how to approach his event whether he was successful or not.
“I’ve learned to not stress so much,” he said. “I have a tendency when something goes wrong shooting or skiing, I doubt everything. I have to be more confident and trusting in my process. The last couple of years, especially, taught me that if I just stick with it and believe in myself, I can be good.”
He concluded: “I want to be calm, calculated, to have the guts to give it all. But I do not want to lose my head. It is good to have a little bit of fear, because then you know what the stakes are and you play your cards well.”
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