Olympics: Stückelberger calls it a day
Switzerland's most successful Olympian of all time has announced that the Sydney Games will definitely be her last. At the age of 53, dressage rider Christine Stückelberger is currently competing in her seventh Olympics.
A long-time resident of Kirchberg, St Gallen, Stückelberger has won no less than five Olympic medals during her extraordinarily long career.
After winning an individual gold at the Montreal Games in 1976, she went on to win three silver medals in the team event (1976, 1984, 1988) and an individual bronze (1988).
Her participation in seven Olympic Games is a record shared with only one other athlete in history, the Swedish fencer Kerstin Palmer (1964-88). On Monday Stückelberger confirmed that she would not be attempting to break Palmer’s record.
“Thirty-three years of top level sport are enough,” she said. “Sydney will be my last highpoint. I want to make room in the team for younger riders.”
Stückelberger’s chances of coming away from Sydney with any more medals seem slim. After the first day of the dressage competition the Swiss team are ranked seventh out of nine competing nations.
Daniel Ramseier, who was part of the team which won silver with Stückelberger in 1988, ended the day in 11th place overall, while Patricia Bottani finished in 18th place.
Françoise Cantamessa and Stückelberger herself are among the 22 riders due to enter the competition on Wednesday. Team medals will be awarded following Wednesday’s performances, which will also count towards qualification for the individual event.
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