It’s been two and a half years since he last competed and two years without physical training, but this weekend, the 26-year-old from Lillehammer is set to return for the season opener at Sjusjøen. And Sivert Bakken (NOR) has a lofty goal for his comeback: He wants to get back to where he left off in March 2022: Winning at the World Cup level and chasing Olympic medals.
If they gave out medals for patience, Sivert Guttorm Bakken would win gold with honors. The talented biathlete burst onto the world stage during the 2022 Olympics season, bagging four World Cup victories and claiming the overall title in mass start.
Bust just a few weeks later, Bakken developed heart inflammation from a COVID-19 booster shot and was forced to immediately stop all physical training.
He’s been scared, frustrated, and in a lot of pain. But he never gave up. Finally, this winter and more than two years after he first got sick, Bakken received the green light to start training again. Now, six months later, he’s ready for the national season opener at Sjusjøen.
It’s been over two and a half years since Bakken last put on a bib. That was back in March 2022 at the World Cup final in Holmenkollen (NOR), where he won the mass start race ahead of Sturla Holm Lægreid (NOR) and Emilien Jacquelin (FRA). On Saturday, he is back in business, at the same event that became his initial ticket to the top level.
Madshus caught up with Sivert Bakken a few days prior to his return.
Story continues below
Photo by: Nordic Focus
Are you excited or nervous about the season opener, now that you’re racing again after such a long break?
“I admit that I’m nervous, and I definitely think about it,” he says.
“But I’m not nervous about finishing in 3rd or 10th place. I know I’m not in the top ten. I’m mostly just excited to race again, to ski hard for a half hour straight, and to shoot under pressure in a competition setting. It’s the competition itself that I’m both looking forward to and a bit nervous about.”
Aiming for the Olympics, maybe in 2026
The last time Bakken raced in the national season opener at Sjusjøen was in 2021. That time, he qualified for the World Cup team and stayed there for the rest of the season. But his goals are different this year, focused only on the long term.
“Right now, the goal is to get as good as possible over time. So, for these early races this year, I’m not worried about peaking. My focus is to get much better later,” Bakken explains.
What do you mean by ‘later’?
“Well, it means anything from the Olympics in Anterselva (ITA) in 2026 to the World Championships at home in Oslo in 2029, and definitely the Olympics in 2030.”
So, that’s the bar you’re setting for yourself?
“Oh yeah,” says Bakken with excitement.
“Two years without training means a lot. But that’s what I’m going for.”
Story continues below
Photo by: Nordic Focus
Five-year plan
Bakken is attacking the project with a plan.
“I have a five-year plan leading up to the 2030 Olympics. There’s a good chance I won’t be good enough to be in the lineup for the 2026 Olympics in Anterselva. Only four men will be chosen, and it’ll be tough to be one of them. But that doesn’t change anything. As long as I have a plan to be as prepared as possible in three to five years, I don’t need to be in the top shape this season.”
Bakken also points out that the recent news of the 2029 World Championships being awarded to Holmenkollen only adds fuel to the fire.
“A World Championship at home is very cool and certainly becomes an obvious goal for me now. The 2026 Olympics would be great, although quite unlikely. But the World Championships at home just three years later is suddenly a very realistic goal. I’d say it’s the perfect goal for me.”
Are you in contact with the national team?
“Not much, other than talking with the athletes and coaches I know, and sometimes with coach Egil (Kristiansen), just to catch up.”
Training like never before
When Bakken got the green light from the medical team this winter, he immediately started putting together a comeback plan with his coach Anders Brun Hennum, the development coach at the national biathlon association. The plan is pretty straightforward: train a lot. That often means six hours a day.
“I’m training a lot more now than ever before. The focus is on high volume, getting the training done well, and finding a balance so that I don’t wear my body down too much,” Bakken says, explaining that what he does now, is very different from how he trained before he got sick.
“Before, training was more about refining technique and being well-rested for the hard sessions, with a clear plan to peak for important weekends. Now, there’s none of that, at least for now,” Bakken says, mentioning that it can be tough.
“I can feel that this training is working well, and that I can handle it. It’s hard not to push too hard.”
Story continues below
Photo by: Nordic Focus
Make Sivert Great Again
It’s clear that other athletes are rooting for the 2022 star to return. His Italian competitor Tommaso Giacomel, who won the IBU U25 World Cup last winter, even cheered Bakken on with the tagline Make Sivert Great Again.
The support means a lot to Bakken.
“I feel that everyone would like to see me back and believe in me, and the support I’ve gotten on the equipment side especially from Madshus is invaluable. I couldn’t do this alone for sure. That means everything.”
The 2024/25 season opens on Saturday November 16, with sprint races at Sjusjøen (NOR) and a start list is worthy of a World Cup, including Italian rival Tommaso Giacomel and the two stars who were beaten by Bakken the last time he raced: Sturla Holm Lægreid and Emilien Jacquelin.
Photo by: Submitted