Dorothea Wierer aimed to dominate the mass start event, believing it offered her the best chance for an individual gold medal in what is expected to be her final Olympic appearance. She finished fifth.
“I’m happy, but you also have to be realistic,” she told Gazzetta dello Sport. She offered further explanation to other media outlets.
“I have my period. I don’t feel bad, but I’m just a little tired,” the biathlon superstar admitted in an interview with Sportnews.bz. “Why shouldn’t people know that you’re not at 100 percent? That’s the most normal thing in the world. It’s simply the cycle of life for us women – in the truest sense of the word.”
Olympics 2026 in Milan and Cortina
This isn’t the first time unfavorable timing has impacted her performance at a major championship. “Throughout my entire career, there hasn’t been a single World Championship or Olympics where I haven’t been menstruating,” she stated, adding that it doesn’t change her medal plans.
“It should be over in two days. Then I’ll attack,” she confidently planned. “Unfortunately for us women, it’s like this once a month; you just have to suffer.”
Wierer already celebrated a silver medal with the Italian team in the opening Olympic mixed relay event. However, she is still pursuing an individual medal.
Cortina d’Ampezzo – Italian biathlete Dorothea Wierer is candidly discussing the challenges of competing at the highest level whereas dealing with her menstrual cycle during the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Despite finishing fifth in the mass start event – a race she identified as a prime opportunity for individual gold – Wierer remained pragmatic. “I’m happy, but you also have to be realistic,” she stated to Gazzetta dello Sport.
In a remarkably open interview with Sportnews.bz, Wierer revealed she was experiencing her period during the competition. “I have my period. I don’t feel bad, but I’m just a little tired,” she explained. “Why shouldn’t people know that you’re not at 100 percent? That’s the most normal thing in the world. It’s simply the cycle of life for us women – in the truest sense of the word.”
Wierer emphasized that this isn’t an isolated incident, noting that she has experienced menstruation during every World Championship and Olympic Games throughout her career. Despite the physical challenges, she remains focused on her medal aspirations, stating, “It should be over in two days. Then I’ll attack.”
The veteran biathlete already secured a silver medal in the mixed relay alongside her Italian teammates, and is determined to add an individual medal to her Olympic tally before potentially retiring.
