What makes Switzerland dream?
Let’s face it: Swiss people are reserved, and it’s often difficult to understand what they really think. But there is one field that deeply unites the country and makes everybody (finally!) openly emotional: sport.
Swiss Champions Think Different
And also Swiss sport champions themselves are, in my opinion, more passionate and refreshing than in other countries. When given a prize, like last night at the SRF Sport Awards in Zurich – at the SRF headquarters – they often seem to doubt they really deserve it. In which other country, for example, would you have a nominee (in this case Roman Josi)accepting his prize while making a video call from a bus? And how many runners would permanently move to Kenia from Switzerland, like Julien Wanders did, to really train with Kenyan runners all year round, because this was always his childhood dream?
Finally, one of the big winners of the evening, Mujinga Kambundji, whom I have had the chance to observe many times during Zurich galas and events and is always one of the most friendly and humble of them all, seemed so genuinely pleased about the evening, that she stayed until very late and held the prize all the time. So refreshing-
Here are the nominated people for the two main categories, sportswomen and sportsmen of the year, and all other winners. It was great meeting them and exchange a couple of words.
Good luck to all athletes for their further preparation and endeavours!
Nominees : Sportswomen
Tennis – Belinda Bencic
Alpine Skiing – Wendy Holdener
Athletics – Mujinga Kambundji
Trianthalon – Daniela Ryf
Athletics – Léa Sprunger
Alpine Skiing – Corinne Suter
Nominees – Sportsmen
Swimming – Jérémy Desplanches
Tennis – Roger Federer
Alpine Skiing – Beat Feuz
Mountain Biking – Nino Schurter
Schwingen – Christian Stucki
Athletics – Julien Wanders
Winners
Mujinja Kambundji, Christian Stucki
Team of the Year
Best Paralympic Athlete
Best Trainer
Adrian Rothenbühler
Most Valuable Player
Roman Josi
Newcomer of the Year
Sina Frei