The 17th Paralympics are more or less halfway through. Peter Läuppi, Chef de Mission of the Swiss delegation, takes stock at the Maison Suisse.
02.09.2024, 19:36
02.09.2024, 20:01
SDA
Peter Läuppi, Switzerland has won seven medals and eight diplomas after five days of competition at the Paralympics. What is your interim assessment as Chef de Mission?
"Very positive. We set ourselves a high target of 14 medals, but the fact that we can already celebrate seven at the halfway point is fantastic."
Is there a medal that you were particularly happy about?
"Every medal is something extraordinary. You have to earn them. I am very proud of this team that it has already won a medal in four sports. That's very important for us. Flurina Rigling kicked the whole thing off with her first medal in cycling. That gave the team a boost, as did the track and field athletes and Leo McCrea with his gold medal in swimming. And also Ilaria Renggli, who won bronze in badminton at her first Paralympic Games. That's brilliant."
What does it say about the development in Switzerland that medals are not only won in the nominally strongest sports of athletics and cycling?
"That's a very important point. Para sport should gain in importance. We have to contribute to this. In young talent too. The promotion of young talent depends on idols, and the more idols there are in different sports, the greater the chance that we can inspire many more athletes to take up the sport."
What impressions have you had of Paris so far?
"The joy of the people of Paris to host these Games is palpable. Everything is precisely organized and planned. I'm fascinated by how culture and sport come together at an event like this."
There is great public interest. The athletics competitions take place in the Stade de France in front of practically full stands. Does that surprise you?
"I hoped it would be like this. It's tremendous for the athletes to be able to compete in such an atmosphere. They really enjoy feeling the enthusiasm of the people. When I watch it from the stands, I get goosebumps too."
What are your plans for the second half of the Paralympics?
"We want to keep at it and offer the athletes the best possible conditions so that they can perform at their best."
Seven medals are still missing from the target.
"That is the case. But we will do everything we can to ensure that all athletes achieve what they want."
