Tragedy in Italy: Sievert Guthorm Bakken died at the age of 27
The world biathlon community has been shaken by shocking news – on Monday in Italy, at the age of only 27, the biathlete of the Norwegian national team, Sievert Gutorm Bakken, passed away. As the portal jauns.lv informs, the athlete was found dead in his hotel room, where he was on his way to a training camp. The cause of death is not yet publicly known and local authorities have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident.
Bakken’s sudden departure is especially hard considering his recent activities and achievements. He took part in the World Cup stage in France last week, where he showed good results: he took the fifth place in the sprint, finished in the 18th position in the pursuit, and took the 20th place in the race with a common start. After the competition, the athlete, together with his teammates, went to a high-altitude training camp in Italy to prepare for the upcoming season’s competition.
New details about the circumstances of the find
The Norwegian Biathlon Federation confirmed the tragic fact on Wednesday and expressed deep sadness at the loss. One of the new details that came to light is related to the circumstances in which Bakken was found. Norwegian media reported that the athlete’s body was found with put on a performance-enhancing training face mask. This device is designed to train the respiratory muscles by increasing breathing resistance during training.
Federation representatives emphasized that there is currently no information that would directly indicate that the use of this mask was the cause of death. The results of the investigation are still awaited to clarify what exactly happened to the athlete.
Bakken’s career highlights
Sievert Guthorm Bakken’s career, although terminated prematurely, was full of notable successes. He was one of the most talented of his generation. His biggest individual triumph in the World Cup competition was achieved in 2022 in Oslo in Holmenkollenwhere he won the race with a common start and got Small crystal globe in this discipline.
This year, shortly before the tragic event, Bakken was in excellent form in the European Championshipwhere he was able to win two gold medals – triumphing both in the sprint and in the pair relay. This success marked his return to the top level after previous health complications.
Health issues and comebacks
It should be noted that Bakken’s career was previously significantly affected by health problems. In 2022, he was diagnosed myocarditis or heart muscle inflammation. This condition temporarily limited his performance, but the athlete was able to return to the competition circuit and again demonstrate his high class, which makes his success at the European Championships this year even more significant.
Response and support
The loss is a heavy blow to the Norwegian biathlon team, traditionally one of the leading teams in the world. Acting General Secretary of the Norwegian Biathlon Association, Emilija Nordskar, said the organization’s thoughts are with Bakken’s family and everyone close to him. Psychological assistance is provided to both the athlete and his relatives from the crisis response teams.
According to unofficial information, a public memorial event was planned in Lillehammer, the athlete’s hometown, to honor the memory of the athlete who died tragically.
