Tommaso Giacomel was close to the medal, then why did he suddenly leave the race midway? Italy suffered a big setback in Winter Olympics 2026

Italy’s star biathlete Tommaso Giacomel Milan‑Cortina Winter Olympics 2026 Suddenly the race had to be abandoned midway. He was in the race for the medal in the men’s 15 km mass start race and was leading till half the race, but suddenly he started having pain in his ribs and difficulty in breathing, after which his speed slowed down and his rivals overtook him.

After some time, he was seen on TV cameras sitting on the snow on the side of the track, where officials were monitoring his condition. It is being told that he lost his balance in the forest area and after falling, he could not continue the race. In this race of 30 players, he was the only player who could not reach the finish line.

What did the coach of the Italy team say?

Italy team coach Fabio Cianciana later said that health came first, so he was stopped as soon as he felt pain. After initial examination, his condition was declared better and he walked on his feet and went for medical checkup.

Which medal did Giacomel get in the mixed relay?

This was Giacomel’s sixth match in these Olympics. Earlier, he had given a medal to Italy by winning the silver medal in the mixed relay. In this race, Johannes Dale‑Skjevdal of Norway performed brilliantly and won the gold medal, while his teammate Sturla Holm Laegreid also won the medal.

Who is Tommaso Giacomel?

• Italy’s young biathlete Tommaso Giacomel is counted among his country’s biggest hopes. At an early age, he gained international recognition by performing brilliantly in biathlon (skiing + shooting). The special thing is that Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics 2026 are being held in Italy, so the domestic audience had high expectations of a medal from them.
• Giacomel participated in many events in these Olympics and also brought a medal to Italy by winning a silver medal in the mixed relay. The mass start race was considered special for him because only the top 30 players of the world enter this format and he was looking in excellent form.
• Biathlon is considered a very tough sport, which requires precise shooting along with high-speed cross-country skiing. Even a little physical discomfort can have a big impact on performance. For this reason, it can be dangerous for the player to continue the race in case of pain and difficulty in breathing.

Even before this incident, many times in the Olympics, players had to withdraw from the competition due to injury or health reasons, but the domestic player leaving the race after getting close to the medal is being considered a big blow for the host country. However, according to the team, his condition is fine now and he can recover soon.