Biathlon

Daria Domracheva and Ole Einar Bjorndalen – one of the most beautiful and famous couples in world sports. Each of them has achieved outstanding achievements in biathlon, but in matters of personal life, both prefer maximum secrecy and mystery. And yet, the star couple was declassified, and another legendary biathlete did it.

The wife knew regarding Bjorndalen and Domracheva’s affair

The story began at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Domracheva took bronze in the individual, winning her first career Olympic medal. With such success, Bjoerndalen himself came to congratulate her, who, obviously, already then began to feel sympathy for his biathlon colleague. Daria recalled that she was pleasantly shocked by this meeting, because for her the Norwegian was a real idol. However, as for most biathletes. Indeed, in those years, Bjoerndalen was at the peak of his career and stamped medals at all major competitions.

It is not known whether their romance began immediately following the Games or following some time. But the first serious rumors regarding their relationship appeared in 2012, when the Belarusian and the Norwegian lived nearby at a training camp in Austria. Indirectly, their relationship was confirmed when Bjoerndalen announced a divorce from his wife, Italian Natalie Santer, also a fairly well-known biathlete. According to one version, the reason for the divorce was precisely the affair with Domracheva, and Ole Einar left Natalie precisely for the sake of Daria. According to other information, the Italian did not like Bjoerndalen’s reluctance to have children. The Norwegian was sure that this would hinder his career. Santer later said that she knew well regarding what was happening in her husband’s personal life in recent years, so the first version looks more truthful.

One way or another, Ole Einar became a bachelor and might officially start a relationship. But neither he nor Daria talked regarding any kind of publicity. Although they, of course, were regularly seen together by other biathletes. But for some reason they were stubbornly silent. Fans either jokingly or seriously said that the whole point was that until June 2014 Domracheva served in the Belarusian KGB, to which the Belarusian Biathlon Federation was attached. Daria answered any questions regarding her personal life that the only news that the press would receive from her would be regarding her marriage.

Fourcade revealed everything

Meanwhile, the biathletes managed to go to the Olympics in Sochi, where both were the flag bearers of their countries at the closing ceremony. And following the Games in Russia, all the cards were revealed by the legendary Martin Fourcade, who announced the following.

“I am on excellent terms with Daria, but, of course, not as close as Bjoerndalen,” the Frenchman admitted.

Fourcade, of course, tried to disguise his words a little, but it didn’t work out very well. The secret became clear. Later, the Swedish biathlete Bjorn Ferry published a book in which he devoted several paragraphs to the secret romance of Daria and Ole Einar. He knew regarding everything, including the Russian Anton Shipulin, but everyone pretended that nothing was happening. Just amazing. A real spy story!

Martin Fourcade / Photo: © RIA Novosti / Alexey Filippov

Happy life in Monaco

In the spring of 2016, Bjoerndalen scheduled a big press conference where everyone was waiting for information regarding his career plans. The Norwegian took it and told the press that he was really dating Domracheva. Moreover, they will soon have a child. In the summer of the same year, biathletes got married in Norway, while maintaining maximum secrecy. There was only one photo from the ceremony on Daria’s social networks, and of those present there were only the closest people.

Domracheva, following the birth of her daughter Xenia, returned to sports and performed brilliantly at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, taking gold and silver. But Bjoerndalen’s career was flying down, he was not taken to the Games, so he just helped his wife and the Belarusian biathlon team as a whole there. And following the end of the Olympics, both officially announced their retirement and focused on family life and raising their daughter. The star couple still had a job in the coaching staff of the Chinese biathlon team, but following the contract expired, they returned to Europe and now live happily in Monaco, visiting Belarus and Norway from time to time.