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Italian biathlete Tommaso Giacomel has undergone heart surgery following a frightening medical episode that forced him to withdraw from the mass start race at the Winter Olympics.
The 25-year-old was leading the event after the second shooting round when he suddenly experienced a total physical collapse.
Giacomel described the ordeal on social media, explaining that his body simply stopped functioning and he found himself unable to breathe or move, calling it the worst feeling of his life.
Following the incident, the Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI) conducted a series of tests at a hospital in Milan.
Doctors discovered an “electrical conduction anomaly” in one of his heart atria, a condition that required immediate intervention.
A minor ablation surgery was performed to correct the issue, and officials have confirmed that the procedure was completely successful.
Giacomel is now facing a mandatory two-week rest period before he can undergo follow-up evaluations.
If he passes those checks, he will be permitted to return to regular training.
However, the timing of the recovery means he will be sidelined for the next stage of the World Cup in Finland and is unlikely to participate in the remaining events of the season in Estonia and Norway.
The health scare is a significant blow to Giacomel’s competitive season, as he was in the midst of a career-best run.
With four individual World Cup victories this season, he currently sits in second place in the overall standings, trailing Frenchman Eric Perrot by only 37 points.
While his title hopes have likely come to an end, the successful surgery offers a promising outlook for his long-term health and future in the sport.
