Emotional Johan-Olav Botn wins 2026 Winter Olympics gold two months after team-mate Sivert Bakken's death - 'I felt like I was with him'
Published 10/02/2026 at 20:14 GMT
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Johan-Olav Botn said he felt like he was racing with late friend and team-mate Sivert Bakken, who tragically died in December 2025, after winning Winter Olympics gold. Bakken was just 27 when he lost his life, and Norwegian Botn said his "thoughts and feelings" were with Bakken as he raced to a gold medal in Milano Cortina. "I hope he was watching, and I hope he was proud of what I was doing."
Olympic champion Botn delivers emotional interview on 'good friend' Bakken
Video credit: TNT Sports
An emotional Johan-Olav Botn said it felt like his late team-mate and "good friend" Sivert Bakken was watching as he won 20km biathlon gold at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games.
Norway's Botn won gold ahead of mixed relay champion Eric Perrot, who finished in the silver medal position to collect the second medal of his debut Winter Games.
Following the race, Botn - also competing at his first Games - took the opportunity to remember Bakken, who lost his life in December.
Botn was with Bakken at a training camp when the tragedy occurred.
"After the last shooting, my thoughts and feelings went towards my good friend Sivert Bakken, who tragically died this Christmas," Botn said.
"It was quite an emotional last loop, last leg for me. I felt like I was racing with him.
"I hope he was watching, and I hope he was proud of what I was doing."
Botn finished in a time of 51:31.5, which was 14.8 seconds quicker than Frenchman Perrot, and he felt it all came down to his shooting.
He shot all 20 targets without a miss in an impressive showing.
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'Quite astonishing!' - Botn claims Olympic title with 'special' and 'flawless' race
Video credit: TNT Sports
"I started 15 seconds behind Perrot when he was on his second lap, and it felt like I was chasing him the entire race," Botn admitted.
"I knew I was not in my best shape, so I had to perform at the shooting range, and I did. I took my time and I made sure every shot was a good enough shot to hit."
Last year saw five-time Olympic gold medallist Johannes Thingnes Boe retire alongside his brother, a three-time Olympic champion himself.
The legendary duo helped Norway dominate the sport, and Botn feels it is down to himself and his compatriots to pick up the baton.
"Norway has always been at the top level of biathlon and when Johannes and Tarjei retired last year, we had to step up and to take the spot that they left," he added.
"So far, I felt like we have done a good job, but we can always perform better."
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Botn's gold medal victory on Tuesday was Norway's sixth gold of the Games, and first in biathlon.
Notoriously dominant in winter sports, Norway - who had won 405 medals in total before the 2026 Games in Milano Cortina, and won 37 medals at the Beijing Games in 2022 - lead the way with 11 medals in total this campaign: six gold, one silver and four bronze.
Germany trail them in second with six, while Switzerland and Austria both have five and sit third and fourth in the table respectively.
Botn will hope to continue adding to Norway's haul when he takes part in the men's 15km mass start on Friday, where there will be a new champion after Thingnes Boe took gold in Beijing four years ago.
Watch every event of Milano Cortina 2026 live on discovery+. Available across all subscription plans, starting at £3.99.
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