Bitter Breakup for Biathlon Star Vetle Sjastad Christiansen

Bitter Breakup for Biathlon Star Vetle Sjastad Christiansen

Managing a high-performance sports career while maintaining a healthy relationship comes with its challenges. Vetle Sjastad Christiansen is currently excelling in biathlon but is looking back on a failed relationship - and he chooses a curious comparison for it.

Norwegian biathlon Olympic champion Vetle Sjastad Christiansen had a tough summer. This applies not only to the preparations for the season but also to his love life. The 32-year-old has broken up with his long-term girlfriend Ingvil Ahlsdand. Christiansen confirmed his relationship’s end himself to the broadcaster TV2.

"It fell apart again. This time for good, I think," the world-class biathlete concluded almost definitively. Christiansen refers to the fact that this couple had separated before but tried to make it work again. However, all attempts to salvage the love have failed.

"We changed some things. I moved to Trondheim, where Ingvil studies. This allowed us to spend more time together. But in the end, it didn’t help," summarized the relay Olympic champion from 2022, who drew an interesting comparison for the difficulties in the relationship. "It’s a bit like skiing in the Sahara. No matter how much you want it, it’s anything but easy," he described.

Biathlon a Love Killer? "I’m Away for 200 Days"

Christiansen knows that his love for biathlon demands a high price and greatly influences his private life. "We athletes lead a pretty strange life and are extremely much on the road. I am away for over 200 days a year, which is often difficult for relationships," the athlete, who has been active in the World Cup for twelve years, clarified. However, the 32-year-old is not ready to hang up his rifle yet, focusing fully on his career as a competitive athlete. Christiansen has moved back to Oslo, where he is preparing for the new World Cup season, which begins on November 30 in Kontiolahti.

The Norwegian set a high bar last winter. At the World Championship in Nove Mesto, he secured his first two individual world championship medals (both bronze in sprint and pursuit) after earning five relay medals (three gold). Christiansen also boasts 34 World Cup victories (28 of which are in the relay) and won the small crystal globes in the individual and mass start rankings in 2023.