A historic picture: In Tokyo, Jolanda Neff, Sina Frei and Linda Indergand celebrated a Swiss triple victory in mountain biking. In Paris, only Frei (left) will be there again
Image: Keystone
Artist on the BMX bike: Nikita Ducarroz wants to be on the podium again in Paris
Image: Keystone
Jérémy Desplanches will also be competing in the swimming pool in Paris
Image: Keystone
Shooter Nina Christen won gold and bronze in Tokyo and is once again among the medal contenders
Image: Keystone
Decorated with gold and silver in Tokyo, Belinda Bencic is now missing thanks to motherhood
Image: Keystone
Has become even faster since the bronze medal in Tokyo: swimmer Noè Ponti
Image: Keystone
Unable to defend their medal due to strong internal competition: beach volleyball players Joana Mäder (left) and Anouk Vergé-Dépré
Image: Keystone
Marlen Reusser has to miss Paris after many health problems
Image: Keystone
Viktorija Golubic (left) will have to make do without her doubles partner Belinda Bencic in Tokyo and will only be competing in singles
Image: Keystone
A historic picture: In Tokyo, Jolanda Neff, Sina Frei and Linda Indergand celebrated a Swiss triple victory in mountain biking. In Paris, only Frei (left) will be there again
Image: Keystone
Artist on the BMX bike: Nikita Ducarroz wants to be on the podium again in Paris
Image: Keystone
Jérémy Desplanches will also be competing in the swimming pool in Paris
Image: Keystone
Shooter Nina Christen won gold and bronze in Tokyo and is once again among the medal contenders
Image: Keystone
Decorated with gold and silver in Tokyo, Belinda Bencic is now missing thanks to motherhood
Image: Keystone
Has become even faster since the bronze medal in Tokyo: swimmer Noè Ponti
Image: Keystone
Unable to defend their medal due to strong internal competition: beach volleyball players Joana Mäder (left) and Anouk Vergé-Dépré
Image: Keystone
Marlen Reusser has to miss Paris after many health problems
Image: Keystone
Viktorija Golubic (left) will have to make do without her doubles partner Belinda Bencic in Tokyo and will only be competing in singles
Image: Keystone
13 Swiss athletes won medals in Tokyo three years ago. A good half of them are back, with the reasons for their absence ranging from very to not at all pleasing.
Ten women and three men won a total of thirteen Swiss medals in Tokyo. Only three years lie between the Games in Japan and those in Paris due to the coronavirus postponement. Nevertheless, only seven are returning under the sign of the Olympic rings. An overview of where the medal winners from Tokyo stand today.
Belinda Bencic (27 years old/gold in singles, silver in doubles): The player from eastern Switzerland has the best possible reason to miss the Olympics. She became the mother of a daughter on April 23. She wants to continue her career.
Nina Christen (30/gold in the three-position match, bronze in the 10 m air rifle): After a temporary sensory crisis, the Nidwalden native is once again one of the absolute world leaders. Last year's European champion is also one of the hot Swiss guns in Paris.
Jolanda Neff (31/gold cross-country): It was only at the beginning of June that the St. Gallen native discovered the reason for her repeated breathing difficulties during prolonged and intensive exercise: a constriction of the vocal cords caused by exertion. Thanks to speech therapy, she made progress, but not enough to be able to compete.
Sina Frei (27/silver cross-country): Neff's bad luck is Frei's good luck. This year, only a maximum of two riders from the same country are allowed to compete in mountain biking. The Zurich native was originally left out of the strong Swiss team, but has now moved up.
Mathias Flückiger (35/silver cross-country): The Bernese rider has had a turbulent time since his silver medal ride in Japan. In June two years ago, he was suspended for an alleged doping offense, but was then acquitted in every respect by the Swiss Olympic disciplinary chamber. He has recently been improving his form and is once again a medal contender.
Viktorija Golubic (31/silver doubles): The Zurich native will have to do without her silver partner Bencic in Paris and can only compete in the singles. She is not one of the favorites there.
Marlen Reusser (32/silver time trial): The Bernese athlete had a spring to forget. A Covid illness, a serious crash at the Tour of Flanders and finally repeated viral infections of the upper respiratory tract made regular training impossible. She therefore had to give up with a heavy heart.
Jérémy Desplanches (29/bronze 200 m medley): The Geneva native has been unable to match his best times in recent years. However, thanks to meeting the B limit, he will also be swimming his favorite distance, the 200 m medley, in addition to the relay.
Nikita Ducarroz (27/bronze BMX freestyle): The French-Swiss rider, who lives in North Carolina on the US East Coast, managed to qualify for the Olympic field of just twelve riders with ease. However, the competition in this rapidly developing trend sport is tough.
Joana Mäder and Anouk Vergé-Dépré (both 32/bronze beach volleyball): The Zurich native and the Bernese player were victims of the density of performance among the Swiss beach volleyball players. Although they met the qualification criteria, they were "only" the third-best national duo.
Linda Indergand (31/bronze cross-country): The athlete from Uri also has to line up behind two compatriots.
Noè Ponti (23/bronze 100 m dolphin): The brightest man from Ticino is the biggest Swiss trump card in the pool. Since his surprising medal win in Tokyo, he has shown himself ready for all major events. Only five athletes in the world have ever been faster than his best time of 50.16 seconds in his showpiece 100 m dolphin. That is half a second faster than when he won bronze three years ago.
