The Norwegian biathlete Sivert Bakken, who started at the World Cup in Annecy over the weekend, died suddenly. The cause of death is unknown, the International Biathlon Union (IBU) said on its website.
According to the media, the 27-year-old native of Lillehammer was found dead this morning in his hotel room in Lavaza, Italy, where he was supposed to be preparing for another race.
Bakken shone in the 2021/22 season. He finished ninth overall in the World Cup and won the small crystal globe for the mass start race evaluation after winning the final race of the year in front of his home crowd in Oslo.
It was his first and only victory in the WC. After his life’s success, doctors diagnosed him with inflammation of the heart muscle, and he did not return to IBU competitions until November 2024, almost a thousand days after the triumph at Holmenkollen.
This year, at the turn of January and February, Bakken won two gold medals at the European Championships and participated in the World Cup during the Olympic season.
At the beginning of December, he was fourth in the endurance race in Östersund, and on Friday, at the start of the race in Annecy, he took fifth place in the sprint.
“Sivert’s return to biathlon after a period of suffering was a source of immense joy for all members of the biathlon family and an inspiring display of his tenacity and determination.
His passing at such a young age cannot be understood, but he will not be forgotten and will remain forever in our hearts,” said IBU President Olle Dahlin.
“Our thoughts are first and foremost with Sivert’s family and all his loved ones, in Norway and abroad. We are cooperating with the Italian authorities on the ground,” said Emilie Nordskarová, secretary general of the Norwegian Biathlon Union, according to DPA.
The news of Bakken’s death shocked his teammate Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen.
“You were back! At the top of your form, at the top of Norway’s highest mountains and at the top of life. The more you trained, the wider your horizons. You were the epitome of determination. Rest in peace,” Christiansen, who won the Annecy sprint on Friday, wrote on Instagram.
Keep reading
