Tommaso Giacomel Withdraws from Olympic Competition

Tommaso Giacomel, the Italian biathlete, pulled out of the Olympic 15km mass start event last Friday due to issues with his breathing. He has since undergone heart surgery as reported by the Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI) on Tuesday.

FISI released a statement indicating, “Further electrophysiological testing uncovered atrial conduction abnormalities, leading to a recommended ablation, which has now been successfully completed.” Giacomel is expected to leave the hospital on Thursday morning and will undergo additional tests in two weeks. Once those are done, he can resume regular training.

At just 25, Giacomel will be sidelined for a while due to this health setback. He shared his feelings of disappointment on his Instagram Story, stating, “My season is over. I’m disappointed.”

Interestingly, Giacomel was reportedly in the lead during the initial stages of the competition, while Norway’s Johannes Dahle-Sjövdal ultimately clinched the victory.

In a post from his hospital bed, he included a shirtless photo and mentioned trying to skate “slowly” on the first part of his third lap, but his body didn’t respond as it should.

Giacomel previously secured a silver medal in the team relay, but he expressed frustration over not being able to finish this time around.

“I’m fine, but I wish I could say the same about my performance in the Olympic race…After my second fall, things turned difficult—breathing felt tough, and I had to call it quits,” he wrote. “It’s honestly one of the worst feelings I’ve ever experienced.”

“Right now, it’s a mix of emotions—frustration, anger, disappointment…It’s overwhelming. Stopping abruptly is shocking, but my body just wouldn’t cooperate today. Not the ending I anticipated, but I won’t give up. Four years will go by fast, and I’ll aim for France.”

As for Italy, the host nation finished third overall with a tally of 30 medals, which is three behind the United States and eleven behind Norway.