Yannick Schwaller's curling team wins the bronze medal at the Olympic Games. Two Swiss-German and two Romansh players represent a kind of Swiss ideal.
21.02.2026, 11:30
21.02.2026, 16:51
SDA
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- After a disappointing home World Championships in 2024, the Swiss curling team led by Yannick Schwaller grew closer together through internal clarifications and has consistently won medals since then, most recently Olympic bronze.
- The four strong personalities came together through a clear division of roles and open communication from an all-star alliance to a real unit.
- They now describe themselves as real friends. And with their two languages and two cultures in the team, the four also see themselves as a kind of ideal image of Switzerland.
- The Swiss championships begin for them on Monday, where they have to win in order to be allowed to travel to the World Championships in Utah. They don't yet know what will happen after that.
You (don't) have to be eleven friends, as they say about successful football teams. It's probably no different in curling. You can also be successful as a partnership of convenience. At least that's how the quartet with skip Yannick Schwaller, Pablo Lachat-Couchepin, Sven Michel and Benoît Schwarz-van Berkel began. Four alpha animals, four leaders, but who have become friends - the hard way.
Michel, from the Bernese Oberland, was already at the 2014 Olympics as a skip and finished a disappointing 8th in Sochi. Schwarz, the number 4 for the most difficult and decisive stones, already won a bronze medal in Peter de Cruz's Geneva team in 2018. And Lachat is considered the best wiper in the world. In the summer of 2022, the four joined forces to form an all-star team, with former skip Michel as number 2 and Schwaller in the third position.
Tough talk after the home debacle
The first successes came quickly, with silver at the 2022 European Championships and bronze at the 2023 World Championships. Then came the 2024 World Championships at home in Schaffhausen, which turned into a real disaster with 7th place and missing out on the medal games. It was the moment that would define the team's future. "A disappointment like that can tear a team apart," says the experienced 34-year-old Schwarz. "It made us stronger."
Harsh words were needed, an unsparing reappraisal. "You have to be honest with each other, respectful, but open and honest," says Yannick Schwaller, explaining the approach. Above all, roles and responsibilities had to be more clearly allocated and communication better regulated. Leader or not, not everyone was able to contribute their opinion in every situation.
The four strong individuals grew together better and better as a team, and the results have been consistently good since Schaffhausen. In 2025, they won silver medals at the European and World Championships, and last December Schwaller and his teammates won one of the prestigious Grand Slam events for the first time at the Canadian Open. Now the (provisional) crowning glory at the Olympics followed with victory in the bronze medal match against Norway on Friday evening.
A country of compromises
"It also defines us as a team that we went through such a difficult phase and emerged stronger," emphasizes Schwarz. The two now describe themselves as real friends. And with their two languages and two cultures in the team, the four also see themselves as a kind of ideal image of Switzerland. "People always say that Switzerland is a country of compromises," says Pablo Lachat. "It's a neutral country that really manages to play and juggle with all the different personalities, and I think our team is a good example of that."
That also took a little time and a willingness to learn from each other. Schwarz, from Geneva, is married to former top swimmer Martina van Berkel and now lives in the canton of Zurich. "I'm also learning German," says Lachat from Vaud, "Yannick speaks very good French and Sven is bilingual."
A well-deserved beer together
You can take a lot of positives from the differences. "If I'm ever a little undisciplined, they remind me," says Lachat with a laugh. "And if they're too disciplined, I remind them that it's good to have a beer every now and then." The four of them treated themselves to one late at night with their friends and families at the Swiss House in Cortina.
However, Team Schwaller can't celebrate for too long. The Swiss Championships begin on Monday, where they have to win in order to be allowed to go to the World Championships in Utah. They do not yet know what will happen after that. However, it is not out of the question that they will tackle another Olympic cycle as a team.
After the very narrow semi-final defeat against Bruce Mouat's outstanding Scottish team, there is still one big goal to be achieved. Despite the joy of bronze, Benoît Schwarz also notes: "The difference between gold and everything else is enormous."
Franjo von Allmen relegates the Italians Giovanni Franzoni and Domink Paris to the places of honor and secures Switzerland's first medal with Olympic gold in the downhill.
Image: Keystone
Successful title defense: Freestyler Mathilde Gremaud puts her competitors in their place in slopestyle, as she did in Beijing, and also takes gold in Cortina.
Image: Keystone
In the men's combined team event, the Swiss men strike gold thanks to Tanguy Nef and Franjo von Allmen.
Image: Keystone
But silver also goes to Switzerland in the team combined thanks to Marco Odermatt and Loïc Meillard.
Image: Keystone
Exploit on the normal hill: Gregor Deschwanden surprisingly jumps to bronze and secures Switzerland's fifth Olympic medal.
Image: Keystone
Two Swiss men are also on the podium in the super-G! Franjo von Allmen is crowned triple Olympic champion, Marco Odermatt races to bronze.
Image: Keystone
The Swiss ski stars are unstoppable: Marco Odermatt takes silver in the giant slalom and is once again on the podium with Loïc Meillard, who takes bronze.
Image: Keystone
Two days later, Meillard shines again and celebrates Olympic victory in the slalom and Swiss medal number 10!
Image: Keystone
Cross-country skiing trumps Nadine Fähndrich and Nadja Kälin win the silver medal for Switzerland in the team sprint.
Image: Keystone
In the last Olympic race, the Swiss women's skiers can also celebrate a medal: Camille Rast takes silver in the slalom.
Image: Keystone
The 13th medal for Switzerland! Marianne Fatton is crowned the first female Olympic champion in the ski touring sprint.
Image: Keystone
The Swiss women's ice hockey team beat Sweden in overtime to win bronze - the second Olympic medal in the association's history.
Image: Keystone
Cross-country skier Fanny Smith is only beaten by Germany's Daniela Meier and beams at the award ceremony with the silver medal.
Image: Keystone
Switzerland sets a new Olympic record! Noé Roth flies to aerials silver and wins his 16th medal.
Image: Keystone
The curling men win an Olympic medal! The team around skip Yannick Schwaller gives Norway no chance and secures bronze.
Image: Keystone
Noé Roth, Pirmin Werner and Lina Kozomara win silver for Switzerland in the aerials mixed competition.
Image: Keystone
40-year-old Alex Fiva wins the bronze medal in ski cross.
Image: Keystone
Marianne Fatton and Jon Kistler win the silver medal in the ski mountaineering mixed competition.
Image: Keystone
Nadja Kälin pulls off a coup at the end of the Olympic cross-country skiing competitions in Val di Fiemme. She wins bronze in the 50 km classic including mass start.
Image: Keystone
Michael Vogt leads the four-man bobsleigh to bronze - the pushers Andreas Haas, Amadou David Ndiaye and Mario Aeberhard naturally also play their part in the success.
Image: Keystone
The Swiss curlers lose the final against Sweden, but win silver.
Image: Keystone
Franjo von Allmen relegates the Italians Giovanni Franzoni and Domink Paris to the places of honor and secures Switzerland's first medal with Olympic gold in the downhill.
Image: Keystone
Successful title defense: Freestyler Mathilde Gremaud puts her competitors in their place in slopestyle, as she did in Beijing, and also takes gold in Cortina.
Image: Keystone
In the men's combined team event, the Swiss men strike gold thanks to Tanguy Nef and Franjo von Allmen.
Image: Keystone
But silver also goes to Switzerland in the team combined thanks to Marco Odermatt and Loïc Meillard.
Image: Keystone
Exploit on the normal hill: Gregor Deschwanden surprisingly jumps to bronze and secures Switzerland's fifth Olympic medal.
Image: Keystone
Two Swiss men are also on the podium in the super-G! Franjo von Allmen is crowned triple Olympic champion, Marco Odermatt races to bronze.
Image: Keystone
The Swiss ski stars are unstoppable: Marco Odermatt takes silver in the giant slalom and is once again on the podium with Loïc Meillard, who takes bronze.
Image: Keystone
Two days later, Meillard shines again and celebrates Olympic victory in the slalom and Swiss medal number 10!
Image: Keystone
Cross-country skiing trumps Nadine Fähndrich and Nadja Kälin win the silver medal for Switzerland in the team sprint.
Image: Keystone
In the last Olympic race, the Swiss women's skiers can also celebrate a medal: Camille Rast takes silver in the slalom.
Image: Keystone
The 13th medal for Switzerland! Marianne Fatton is crowned the first female Olympic champion in the ski touring sprint.
Image: Keystone
The Swiss women's ice hockey team beat Sweden in overtime to win bronze - the second Olympic medal in the association's history.
Image: Keystone
Cross-country skier Fanny Smith is only beaten by Germany's Daniela Meier and beams at the award ceremony with the silver medal.
Image: Keystone
Switzerland sets a new Olympic record! Noé Roth flies to aerials silver and wins his 16th medal.
Image: Keystone
The curling men win an Olympic medal! The team around skip Yannick Schwaller gives Norway no chance and secures bronze.
Image: Keystone
Noé Roth, Pirmin Werner and Lina Kozomara win silver for Switzerland in the aerials mixed competition.
Image: Keystone
40-year-old Alex Fiva wins the bronze medal in ski cross.
Image: Keystone
Marianne Fatton and Jon Kistler win the silver medal in the ski mountaineering mixed competition.
Image: Keystone
Nadja Kälin pulls off a coup at the end of the Olympic cross-country skiing competitions in Val di Fiemme. She wins bronze in the 50 km classic including mass start.
Image: Keystone
Michael Vogt leads the four-man bobsleigh to bronze - the pushers Andreas Haas, Amadou David Ndiaye and Mario Aeberhard naturally also play their part in the success.
Image: Keystone
The Swiss curlers lose the final against Sweden, but win silver.
Image: Keystone
