Norwegian biathlete Bakken dies at 27

“Our thoughts are primarily with Sivert’s family and everyone who was close to him, both in Norway and abroad. We are cooperating with the Italian authorities on site,” said Emilie Nordskar as acting general secretary of the Norwegian Biathlon Federation.

World Association President Olle Dahlin was “deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic news.” Sivert’s comeback was “a source of immense joy for the entire biathlon family and an inspiring example of his resilience and determination,” said the Swede in a press release: “His death at such a young age is incomprehensible, but he will remain unforgotten and will be in our hearts forever.”

Health setback

Bakken was once considered a great talent. He made his World Cup debut in March 2022. In the same year he also achieved a World Cup victory. But shortly afterwards a health setback caught up with him and he suffered from myocarditis. It wasn’t until the 2024/25 season that he made his comeback in the IBU Cup, where he achieved several podium finishes.

This winter, Bakken also returned to the World Cup squad and achieved several top ten finishes. Most recently, he finished fifth last Friday in the final sprint race of the year in Le Grand-Bornand, France, flawlessly just 8.6 seconds behind his teammate Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen.

Christiansen expressed his dismay on Instagram: “You were back!! At the top of the podium, on top of Norway’s highest mountains and at the top of life. The more you trained, the bigger your grin was. You were living proof of dedication. Now rest in peace..”

Promise from a friend: Will make you proud

The Italian Tommaso Giacomel was also stunned. “We planned to go skiing together today, but you didn’t show up. We also planned to celebrate New Year’s Eve together, but you won’t be there. Life was already so hard on you, stopping you for a long time over two years ago… and now this. THAT’S NOT FAIR!!,” the 25-year-old wrote on Instagram.

He made a promise to his friend who died: “From this moment on, I will carry you with me – not just in every race, but in every training session and every moment of my life. It will be really difficult to train and fight without you in the future, but I will do my best to make you proud.”