Italy's Giacomel has heart operation after pulling out of 15-km biathlon mass start race

ROME, Feb 24 : Italian Tommaso Giacomel, who had to pull out of last week's Olympic biathlon 15-km mass start event during the race because of breathing problems, has undergone a minor heart operation, his federation said on Tuesday.

Giacomel, 25, won a mixed relay silver medal at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on February 8, but had to withdraw from the 15-km event on Friday while leading it. 

"Right after the second prone my body somehow stopped working properly and I was really struggling to breathe and to move, therefore I had to stop," he wrote on that day on Instagram.

Medical checks "revealed an atrial conduction abnormality, which recommended a subsequent ablation, which has already been performed and was a complete success", the Italian Winter Sports Federation said in a statement.

Giacomel will be discharged from hospital on Thursday and will undergo further medical checks in two weeks. Once completed, he should be able to return to regular training. 

In a social media message reposted on Giacomel's Instagram account, the International Biathlon Union said "Forza, Tommy" and wished him a smooth recovery.