The past few months have been an emotional rollercoaster for the biathlon star. One of the highlights of the year came quietly.

“We managed to keep the wedding a secret from a small group of people,” says the 30-year-old.

On September 26, Finnish biathlon star Tero Seppälä married his fiancée Nea Heilala. However, it took several weeks before he shared any details about the wedding. 

The couple tied the knot after being together for seven years. 

Also Read: Finnish Biathlon Federation names 2026 A-Team for training season

The wedding gave me wonderful memories from this year

Lauri Vuorinen, the bronze medalist from the World Championship sprint in Trondheim, served as the wedding photographer. The cross-country star pursues photography at a semi-professional level alongside his skiing career. 

“It was a fantastic and atmospheric moment. The priest also spoke about how nice it is that we have found each other,” Seppälä told the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti.

“I have a partner with whom I can share joys and sorrows. When I was younger, I would call my parents if I had problems. Now I call my wife first,” he said. 

“The wedding has given me some wonderful memories from this year,” Seppälä said. 

And there have been problems for the Finnish biathlete.

Injury nightmare started in Oslo

In the 2025/2026 season, Seppälä finished 23rd overall in the World Cup, with a best result of 15th place from the Olympics in Milano-Cortina. 

Then things took a turn for the worse. During the World Cup finals in Holmenkollen in March, he suffered a serious fall. 

“I sustained a fracture and tore a muscle in my right armpit. The injuries sidelined me completely for two months,” Seppälä said. 

And during a training camp with the French national team in August, he injured himself again. “I developed a strain in my left foot,” he explained. 

It is only now that the Finnish biathlon star is injury-free. 

“The fact is that I have had to change my training quite a bit,” Seppälä said. 

Making adjustments at the shooting range

Norwegian Erik Kulstad is the head coach of the Finnish biathlon team. However, Seppälä has the renowned Russian coach Anatoly Hovantsev, who resides in Russia, as his personal trainer. 

Seppälä is the Finnish champion in biathlon and among the fastest internationally. However, it has been at the shooting range where the Finn has struggled. 

Last winter, his hit percentage was around 80, but to compete for top positions in the World Cup, it needs to rise closer to 90. 

The World Cup kicks off at home in Kontiolahti on November 26. 

Read More – Biathlon World Cup: Calendar for the 2026/2027 winter season

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