“Olympics in Anterselva [Italy] in 2026 to the World Championships at home in Oslo in 2029, and definitely the Olympics in 2030.” These were the dreams Sivert Guttorm Bakken had been chasing after overcoming a heart condition and getting back on track. He was just 27, full of hope, ready to compete in the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, and imagining a bright future in biathlon. But those dreams ended too soon.

On 23rd December, during a high-altitude training camp in Lavaze, Italy, Sivert didn’t show up for breakfast. His teammates, growing worried, went looking for him and found him dead in his hotel room. The official cause of death has not yet been revealed.

The tragedy was confirmed by Italian authorities, and acting Secretary General of the Norwegian Biathlon Association, Emilie Nordskar, said, “Our thoughts are first and foremost with Sivert’s family and with everyone close to him, both in Norway and abroad. We are cooperating with the Italian authorities on site.”

Sivert Guttorm Bakken was more than an athlete; he was a warrior. This season, he ranked 13th overall, had four World Cup victories under his belt, and in the 2021-22 season, won the season-long mass start title. He also lifted the small Crystal Globe in front of his home crowd in Oslo after winning the title in the final competition of the season, a moment that will always be remembered.

Even just days ago, he competed at the IBU Biathlon World Cup in Annecy-Le Grand Bornand, finishing 5th in the sprint on 19 December. And this was all despite the fact that Bakken had been dealing with myocarditis since 2022.

“The IBU is deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic news of Sivert Bakken’s sudden death. Sivert’s comeback to biathlon after a period of great hardship was a source of immense joy for everyone in the biathlon family and an inspiring demonstration of his resilience and determination,” said IBU president, Olle Dahlin.

There was a memorial service held in Bakken’s hometown of Lillehammer, Norway, where members of the Lillehammer crisis team, clergy, and police were present.

For someone whose life revolved around pursuing Olympic glory, this is devastating news to fans, teammates, and the whole sport of biathlon.

Fans in shock over the heartbreaking loss of Sivert Guttorm Bakken

One heartbroken fan wrote, “RIP and prayers to his family.” Sivert Guttorm Bakken was in a relationship with fellow Norwegian biathlete Juni Arnekleiv. Soon after, she re-shared a post of him on her Instagram story, captioning it, “Thank you for everything, dear Sivert.”

Another fan wrote, “He looked so happy this past weekend. Even knowing he’d battled myocarditis, I can hardly believe this. Sincere condolences to family, friends, all who knew him.”

Just three years ago, in 2022, Bakken was diagnosed with myocarditis, a condition that causes inflammation of the heart muscle. This wasn’t a minor setback; it forced him to step away from competition for nearly two years.

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He couldn’t train, couldn’t race, and had to put on hold the dreams he had worked so hard for. But he fought back. After nearly two years of absence, Bakken made a comeback in elite competition in November 2024.

He started in the IBU Cup, slowly finding his form again, podiuming in sprint events such as Obertilliach, and then returning to World Cup races. By 2025, his perseverance paid off in the biggest way: he became European Champion in the men’s sprint at the European Biathlon Championships.

One more fan wrote, “Doesn’t even feel real. Can’t imagine what his close teammates, family and friends are going through.” Another added, “This news is devastating. I, like so many, was cheering on his hard-fought comeback. My prayers go out to his loved ones at this heart breaking time.”

The disbelief was palpable. “I am still in shock. Truly one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in sport… rest in peace,” wrote another fan.

Similarly, Sivert Guttorm Bakken’s teammates were left reeling. In an emotional Instagram post, teammate Sturla Holm Laegreid described Bakken as “one of the toughest.” Laegreid continued, “You had the ability to work your way out of the worst situations. Where everyone else would have given up, you pushed on. Sivert, you were a role model, an inspiration, with a determination that the rest of us could only dream of.”

Bakken had already mapped out a five-year plan for his career, approaching his return to the sport with focus and ambition.“I have a five-year plan leading up to the 2030 Olympics. There’s a good chance I won’t be good enough to be in the lineup for the 2026 Olympics in Anterselva,” said Bakken last year.

“Only four men will be chosen, and it’ll be tough to be one of them. But that doesn’t change anything. As long as I have a plan to be as prepared as possible in three to five years,” he added.

The fact that the 2029 World Championships would take place at Holmenkollen had only further motivated him. “A World Championship at home is very cool and certainly becomes an obvious goal for me now,” Bakken had shared.

It’s a heartbreaking end to all the plans, dreams, and goals that Bakken had in mind. But seeing the way fans and teammates remember him, it looks like Sivert Guttorm Bakken will continue to live on in people’s hearts.