Sturla Holm Lægreid had just won the Olympic bronze medal and chose, instead of thanking coaches or teammates, to reveal he cheated on his ex-girlfriend.
Now, the woman at the center of that moment pushed back on how it unfolded.
Lægreid's admission came after he confessed to his girlfriend of six months about the affair. According to the Norwegian biathlete, the days that followed felt unbearable.
He described it as "the worst week of my life," even as the Olympics continued around him.
Sturla Lægreid apologizes to ex in post-race Olympic interview
During the interview with NRK, Norway’s state broadcaster, Lægreid explained why he spoke publicly.
"There’s someone I wanted to share it with who might not be watching," he said.
He then described the relationship in strikingly personal terms. "Six months ago, I met the love of my life. The most beautiful and kindest person in the world," he said. "Three months ago, I made my biggest mistake and cheated on her."
Although he had just secured an Olympic medal, he framed his situation differently. "I had the gold medal in life," he said. While acknowledging that others might judge him, he added, "I only have eyes for her."
Later, he told Norwegian newspaper VG that honesty felt unavoidable. "My only way to solve it is to tell everything and put everything on the table," he said, adding that he hoped she could still love him. "I’ve done that for her, and now for the whole world. I have nothing to lose."
He also spoke about accountability. "I want to be a good role model," Lægreid said. "But I have to admit when I make mistakes." Meanwhile, he noted that competition had faded in importance. "Sport has come second these last few days," he said. "Yes, I wish I could share this with her."
Lægreid's ex responds
After Lægreid’s emotional on-air confession ricocheted across social media, his ex, who asked to remain anonymous, addressed the situation in her own words, pushing back on the way his admission unfolded publicly.
Speaking to Norwegian outlet VG on Wednesday, days after Lægreid’s Olympic appearance, she made clear that the global spotlight was not something she had consented to:
"It is hard to forgive, even after a declaration of love in front of the whole world," she said.
"I did not choose to be put in this position, and it hurts to have to be in it." She added that the two have been in contact and that he is aware of how she feels.
"[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."
Social media reacts to the Olympian's confession
People online were not impressed with the Norwegian biathlete's confession, with many calling it gaslighting and inappropriate.
@Guardabascio tweeted, “This has been an incredible Olympics for insane people.”
Others fixated on how he described his girlfriend. @HannaCanadia said, "I need to see what the ex-girlfriend of the Norwegian biathlon bronze medalist looks like," before joking about his televised apology.
Some people pointed to Lægreid’s past controversies. @florianederer noted that he had been banned from the Biathlon World Cup in 2023 after accidentally firing his rifle in a hotel room. "He was also teary and apologetic then," they wrote.
However, several people criticized the public nature of the confession. @cmclymer said, "I don’t know, buddy, probably not a great call to embarrass her like this on a global stage."
Many commenters addressed the girlfriend directly, urging her not to reconcile. @jaidenodavis added, "DON’T FOLD GIRL."
DoorDash even joined the conversation, commenting, "this one needs WAY more than bad boyfriend bootcamp😳"
Some compared the moment to his teammate’s achievement. Johan-Olav Botn won gold and dedicated it to late teammate Siver Guttorm Bakken. X user @unrealisatic wrote that this story took attention away from that tribute.
@_illuminani echoed the sentiment, calling the confession "certainly…a choice," while lamenting what went overlooked.
The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter here.
