“He should be here and he isn’t”
Biathlon stars cry for Bakken
January 7, 2026 – 4:38 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The sudden death of Sivert Bakken shocked many biathlon leaders. Two of them let their emotions run wild before the first race without him.
Tommaso Giacomel fought back tears in Oberhof. The Italian biathlon star spoke in Thuringia about the loss of his long-time friend Sivert Bakken – and how heavy the memories of the Norwegian weigh on him.
“It goes up and down. I have a lot of negative thoughts, especially in the evening when I go to bed and close my eyes,” said the 25-year-old. “But I’m lucky that I have my girlfriend and my family at home. They’re a big help, without them it would be even harder.”
The first meeting with the Norwegians on Monday in the dressing room in Oberhof had taken a toll on Giacomel. “I immediately started crying. He’s supposed to be here and he’s not,” he said. His concentration was barely there during training on Tuesday.
Despite the sadness, the Italian wants to take part in the competition. “I’ll do my best to make him proud. And that’s what Sivert would have wanted. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t ready to start,” said Giacomel. He would dedicate a possible Olympic victory at the Winter Games in Antholz to Bakken, who himself had a chance of being nominated.
Giacomel has not yet sought psychological help. Instead, he leans on his girlfriend, who also lost a close person last year. “2025 was difficult for us as a couple. We strengthen each other,” he said, visibly moved.
Bakken’s compatriot Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, who is also competing in Oberhof, was similarly affected as Giacomel: “It was of course something that you would never believe that you would experience, heartbreaking in every respect. At first you are sad, but then you also realize how many people will be affected by it, Sivert’s family, who I have thought about very often,” said the top athlete in a tear-choked voice “Norwegian Broadcasting” (NRK).