“Well, they finally got married,” Domracheva’s fans exhaled when they saw a photo of Ole Einar and Daria in wedding dresses.
Simultaneously, on the night of July 17, he and she posted a wedding photo on their Instagram pages with the same caption: “What a beautiful day!” Very restrained, but even these couple of words, given the secrecy of both, are like a feat for Bjoerndalen and Domracheva.
The king and queen, multiple Olympic champions, hid their romance for several years, which was an open secret.
And this year they gave up, telling us that they would have a child in October, and now they announced the wedding.
True, so far there is no word about how they celebrated. One can only guess that in Norway, because the author of the wedding photo is a famous Norwegian photographer.
You look at this photo and remember how they joked about their marriage.
“I want to thank the person who came up with such a joke on April 1st. My family and I had a good laugh. But many believed.” This is how Domracheva responded two years ago to a message that she had married Bjoerndalen. But they started joking for a reason. They had already been seen together more than once, and the Italian press reported at the beginning of 2013 that Daria was the reason for the Norwegian’s separation from his Italian wife Natalie Santer.
The feelings appeared, of course, much earlier. “I remember how he came up to me at the Games in Vancouver to congratulate me on my bronze medal,” Daria told reporters. - That day he himself won silver in the individual race, sharing it with our Sergei Novikov. I was shocked then. Bjoerndalen himself, wow!”
What did Bjoerndalen think when he saw Domracheva? “Wow”, “Wow” or something like that? But he didn't mind letting the friendship "develop a little bit." This is how a Norwegian once expressed himself about his relationship with a Belarusian woman.
Why Daria Domracheva still did not dare to talk about her close relationship with Ole Einar, one can only guess. It’s funny to read her comment now: “The only official information about my personal life will be the message about my marriage.” Still, the first official information came not about marriage, but about pregnancy, in April of this year.
In the summer of 2015, Ole Einar honored Minsk with his presence and even visited Daria in Raubichi. We captured their visit, but the stars did not talk to us. Moreover, Daria was angry that we discovered them and in response took a photograph of our photojournalist, which he was flattered by. In April 2015, at the “Race of Champions” in Tyumen, Bjoerndalen hugged her so much that it became clear to everyone: friendship had grown into love.
In October 2015, Soviet Sport journalist Dmitry Egorov reported that Domracheva was pregnant.
“I don’t have such information about my situation,” Daria told us then.
She appeared a few months later, in April:
30 years is a great age to have a child. I'll become a mother in the fall! This event is planned and very welcome,” Daria wrote on her website.
And Ole Einar became a frequent guest in Minsk. Now this is his home. In every sense of the word. He and Daria together control the construction of their country house, which is located near Minsk. The layout is by the Domrachev family, they are architects.
And if Domracheva does not discuss her personal life with the press, then Bjoerndalen is very frank. For example, he happily told the Norwegian press that:
Construction is going great. Daria has been building this house for many years. This big project, which I think will be completed within the next year... I think it will be great to spend a lot of time in Minsk. It's a beautiful city, we feel good there
It is absolutely certain that our child will speak two or even three languages. You need to know several languages, this is useful... I don’t speak much Russian, I only understand it a little. I think I will teach it together with my child.
I hope I’ll become a good father... I’m not worried about what kind of mother Daria will be. It will be wonderful.
The timing of the pre-season altitude training coincides with Daria’s birth, where I will be present. In fact, this is something much more important than biathlon and altitude training... But I recognize that it will be a special combination - having a small child and playing sports at the highest level.
The next chapter of the exciting novel will be the birth of Daria. If in Norway they still can’t get an answer to the question of what citizenship the child will have, then in Belarus fans are arguing about where she will give birth.
We have no doubt that royal conditions will be created for Domracheva in Minsk. What can I say, the whole country will give birth with her! And this is not just guesswork. In April 2014, Daria, together with Alexander Lukashenko, worked on the construction of a new obstetrics and gynecology building of the 5th city clinical hospital as part of a republican cleanup.
Then the president told her:
Here, Dasha, we will give you a separate room. And give me twins.
The head physician of the hospital, Mikhail Nazarchuk, told Komsomolskaya Pravda that the ward is ready:
And what about preparing it - all our rooms are excellent, even if you go to bed now: beautiful, comfortable, single.
What if I give birth with Bjoerndalen?
Then we’ll put it in a double room: upholstered furniture, it’s beautiful, it won’t be embarrassing. There are even two-room VIP rooms: in one room there is a mother and baby, in the other the father can relax. The rooms are separated by a door. This room has a plasma TV, refrigerator, shower, and toilet. There is a separate medical staff assigned to this ward, with a separate midwife. So childbirth is only in our maternity hospital.
The couple is expecting a girl. And at the beginning of next year, Daria wants to return to the ski track.
Valentine's Day falls during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics this year. It is there that one of the most famous couples in the world of sports - biathletes - will celebrate Valentine's Day Ole Einar Bjoerndalen and Daria Domracheva. In honor of the holiday, we decided to tell you how this “sports” love story was born.
How it all began
Some say that Domracheva met her future Norwegian husband at the Olympics in Vancouver in 2010, others suggest that they began to communicate closely in 2012 at a summer training camp in Austria. However, we know only one exact date - October 4, 2012, when Bjoerndalen broke up with the Italian biathlete Natalie Santer. Apparently, then the biathlete already felt sympathy for his Belarusian colleague.
Veil of secrecy
Over the next few years, the biathletes carefully hid their relationship, the most discussed at that time was Daria’s phrase: “The only official information about my personal life will be the message about my marriage.” Soon it almost happened! Of course, many friends and fellow biathletes knew about their relationship, but the strength of friendship was stronger than the desire to tell the public about the personal lives of Domracheva and Bjoerndalen.
The first person to puncture was a French biathlete Martin Fourcade, who in 2015 said: “I am on good terms with Domracheva, but, of course, not as close as Bjoerndalen.”
Official confirmation
On April 5, 2016, at Bjoerndalen’s press conference, at which, as journalists expected, the conversation was supposed to be about the biathlete’s sports career, the main statement was not only confirmation of the relationship with Daria, but also the fact of the Belarusian biathlete’s pregnancy: “I have an excellent relationship with Daria Domracheva. Now we are a couple and waiting for the birth of a child. We didn't want to keep it a secret, but we will focus on our relationship. It's very exciting to become a father."
On July 16 of the same year, the couple got married in Oslo. The ceremony was held modestly, in the circle of family and friends. The only public photo of the celebration is on Daria’s Instagram.
Not only biathletes, but also parents
Naturally, at first Daria and Ole Einar devoted all their time to their daughter, but already in 2017 they returned to training. At the 2018 Olympics, Daria worthily represents her homeland, and Bjoerndalen helps the athletes with training.
But, despite their careers, the child remains the most important link in the lives of both biathletes. “I need to learn Norwegian, since it is my daughter’s second native language,” Daria admitted in an interview. “Who is the head of our family? Of course Ksenia. She laughs often. I think she will make a great comedian,” says Bjoerndalen.
Daria Domracheva is known to fans of big-time sports. This young biathlete from Belarus many years ago won the hearts of fans not only in her country, but throughout the world.
We are all interested in how the fate of a talented person turned out. This is exactly what will be discussed in our material. About a sports career, about successes and defeats, about family.
Rocket
If you ask any sports fan about who he associates biathlon with, he will answer without hesitation: Domracheva. This fragile and tender girl is the pride of the country. All Belarusians are proud of their compatriot for the fact that in just a few years she managed to reach unprecedented heights and beat the most experienced German athletes in competitions.
At the moment, Dasha is usually called a fast rocket, for her agility and dexterity.
How did it happen that a simple girl, from a country that was never famous for biathletes, became the best in the world?
Daria Domracheva: biography. Hesitant steps
The baby was born into a family that had nothing to do with sports. Daria's parents are architects.
When the baby had just turned four years old, the family decided to move to Siberia.
In the small, one might say, small town of Nyagan, there were practically no opportunities for the development of the physical abilities of a young athlete.
But there was a basketball section, and it was here that Domracheva signed up. Only later, after a while, did the girl give her preference to skiing, and then thanks to the influence of her older brother.
The first time I decided to start skiing was in 1999, and I must say, it was a success. Young Dasha seemed born to skate.
Education
The school where Domracheva studied was professional, with an economic and legal bias.
In 2003, the champion returned to Minsk, where she continued her studies. But BSEU did not have a similar department, so I had to choose the Department of Tourism.
In 2009, the young graduate defended her diploma and began a career in the world of sports.
Career
It all started when Dasha joined the Russian biathlon team and immediately impressed with her high potential. But the competition was incredibly high, and it was pointless to hope for even a place in the adult squad. But the champion’s persistence knows no barriers.
In 2004, Domracheva continued training with the national team and built a professional career. The girl's success is obvious.
The first competitions in Belarus took place in 2005, and in 2006 Daria made her debut at the World Cup. According to the results, she took only 16th place. But I must say that for a beginner this was an excellent result.
It would seem that it would not be possible to jump above this limit, but Domracheva surprises everyone, and the unthinkable happens in Oberhof - the biathlete is leading in the race for the cup. But an unfortunate misunderstanding occurs: during shooting, the Belarusian biathlete Daria Domracheva makes a mistake and shoots at the target while standing, although according to the competition conditions it was necessary to take a prone position. She is disqualified, and the victory simply slips away from her hands. The athlete is given only the third place of honor.
By the way, another embarrassment occurs with the young lady, and again in Oberhof. She manages to shoot at a target, but not at her own, but at someone else’s.
But this did not stop Daria from bringing a world champion medal. The girl wins silver. But triumphant performances are yet to come.
Sochi
In 2014, the blue-eyed blonde climbed to the top of success. At the Olympics, she received well-deserved gold in the fifteen-kilometer race.
Three days later - the second gold medal. Once again, all the competitors were behind in the individual race, although this was to be expected, there was a sense of purpose and strength for victory.
And on February 17 - another success and gold again. This is incredible luck. History has never known such a grandiose triumph.
Belarusians are proud of their compatriot and wish her only victories and only first place in every competition.
Personal life
This question worried every fan of the talent of a wonderful athlete and a real Belarusian beauty.
Gossip about Daria’s personal life, her novels and relationships quite often flashed in the media.
But now the time has come, and the girl began to be often noticed in the company of Olympic champion Ole Einar Bjoerndalen. The couple stubbornly denied rumors of a love affair, because at that time the man was legally married and the athletes simply did not need such a scandal. Why advertise a relationship that has just begun?
However, the public soon learns that the multiple winner is divorcing his wife. Once again, newspaper headlines are full of news about a new round of relations between Daria and Ole.
But Ole Einar Bjoerndalen and Daria Domracheva did not consider it necessary to talk in public about their personal lives and preferred to keep their relationship secret so as not to lead to a scandal.
For many years, the connection between the champions was a big question. Although, I must admit, the couple was always together, they tried to separate only for the period of training and participation in various competitions and championships.
The young people hid from the press and tried to take all possible steps so as not to fall under the camera lenses of curious paparazzi.
Point in controversy
In 2016, the biathletes got married, which became known thanks to photographs from the ceremony published in one of the local newspapers. Only close relatives and friends were invited to the wedding. This is how Ole Bjoerndalen and Daria Domracheva became married. The wedding took place without much pathos.
The happy family also admitted that they are expecting a new addition soon, which they are incredibly happy about.
Daria Domracheva’s child was born on October 1, 2016. She gave her husband baby Ksenia. For the first time in many years, Ole forgot about sports and missed the training season in 2016-2017. The wife said that they would return to the sport at the beginning of 2017.
Daughter
With the birth of their daughter, a lot has changed in the family of champions; now the parents’ life schedule is dictated not by sports, but by little Ksenia. Only she is subordinate to Ole and Daria all the time. Young people strive to give all their free time to the newborn and to be there in the first months of the girl’s life.
But the time will come, and athletes will again begin to conquer the peaks in the hope of new victories.
Return to career
As it became known, the couple of gold medalists are looking for a nanny for the girl, because Ole Einar Bjoerndalen and Daria Domracheva intend to resume training and return to the arena of big-time sports.
We can only wish good luck and new achievements to the married couple. We hope that Daria Domracheva, whose biography was discussed in this article, will glorify her country more than once and bring many gold awards, overcoming more and more new horizons on snowy roads.
Many were sure that the daughter of Daria Domracheva and Ole Einar Bjoerndalen would be born abroad. They wondered: in the father’s homeland in Norway or in Austria, where did the star couple settle?
But the champions, assessing the high level of medical care, chose Belarus. Dasha could have given birth in any maternity hospital in Minsk: in the 5th, in the 2nd, in the Republican Scientific and Practical Center "Mother and Child", but in the end she decided to give birth in the 6th, choosing not the walls, but the doctor. Although the walls in the 6th are the envy of many, on September 1, the clinic opened a VIP department for women in labor: 4 studio rooms, each 36 square meters, with a kitchen and a bathroom. Inside there is a double bed, bedside tables, opposite there is a leather fold-out sofa - everything from the manufacturer Bobruiskmebel. The atmosphere is as if it were not in a hospital: everything is light and airy. On the windows there are blinds with the image of a palm and a globe on it.
During the birth of her first child, Daria Domracheva trusted Natalya Odintsova, one of the best obstetrician-gynecologists in Belarus, deputy chief physician for obstetric and gynecological care at the 6th maternity hospital. Today (October 3, 2016 - Ed.) the baby and mother feel well and through Komsomolskaya Pravda they convey words of gratitude for their support in this most difficult marathon distance to their many fans.
- Daria is a fighter on the ski track, probably a fighter in the delivery room too?- Komsomolskaya Pravda asked the doctor.
Yes, Dasha is very smart, very courageous, a real fighter, everywhere. The birth took place without pain relief; for her, as an athlete, there are certain restrictions.
Some, in order to relieve pain, give birth with epidural anesthesia (partial anesthesia, the woman in labor does not feel the lower abdomen. - Ed.), and Dasha?
Without, this is undesirable for her. She endured the entire birth process stoically. And the baby - 3650 - is quite large for her, Dasha is very thin.
- The first birth usually lasts longer than subsequent ones, how did Dasha cope with the birth?
Daria gave birth absolutely physiologically: not long, but not quickly, on average.
- Was Bjoerndalen there all the time?
Yes, he supported her in everything from beginning to end. Both the first and second days - all the time together - as Komsomolskaya Pravda later found out, only on the third day, on Monday, the famous Norwegian went to his first training session after the birth of his daughter.
- Some were worried: how would he communicate during childbirth, after all, there was a language barrier?
There was no barrier - I also spoke English to him. Dasha translated if any issues arose. Yes, everything was clear here.
- On a 10-point scale, what would you, as a specialist and super-professional, give to dad, mom and child?
The child is very good, it couldn’t be better!
- And Bjoerndalen? There are men who lose consciousness while attending childbirth.
No, he didn’t lose consciousness, he went through everything very courageously, and at the same time showed compassion. He was very supportive and showed tenderness. On a scale of 10, everyone is a ten. These are our golden champions - in everything. It is clear that they have a very touching relationship, incredible tenderness and compassion, it is clear that this is love, and not just the husband came as security, as happens.
- Grandma has already admitted that the girl is very beautiful, but who does she look more like?
The first feeling is on Dasha, but Ulina’s eyes. And today, it seems, she looks more like Ole. But the girl is from the Domrachev family. This international child took the best from the Domrachev and Bjoerndalen family.
- Now fans are trying to give Dasha different goodies, what can she have?
They eat what a woman in labor is supposed to eat. On Saturday we enjoyed rice porridge with chicken. Regular hospital food, they have everything you need.
- Is the baby with mom and dad all the time or is she taken away at night?
With them all the time.
Often the main problem for a woman in labor is her breasts: when the milk comes in, it turns to stone, you don’t know what to do with it while the baby gets used to it...
Dasha can do everything, the baby sucks perfectly. They don’t let go of the baby: either mom or Ole. Very sweet touching relationship. Ole, just as he picked up the baby for the first time in the delivery room, never let go of him again.
- What did the famous dad say in the first minutes?
He was incredibly happy, what can I say? We were busy with the process.
- Surely “Wow!”?
Probably “wow” (smiles). But he didn’t shout or make any noise - this is a very responsible matter and a very responsible family. Taking into account the fact that this is the first child, you understand how consciously, desired, and how he went towards this. He himself comes from a large family (five children) - for him and his family this was very important; in Norway it is a holiday, as in Belarus.
