Olympic gold winners return to celebrations
Swiss Olympic medal winners have been given a heroes' welcome at a post Beijing Games reception in Basel.
Doubles tennis winners Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka and two-time cycling champion Fabian Cancellara displayed their gold medals from a balcony at the city hall on Thursday.
Around 3,000 people turned out for the event, giving the trio a standing ovation as they arrived.
The celebrations came just two days after Federer clinched the US Open victory, his 13th Grand Slam title.
“It is good to be back in Switzerland after a long journey of more than nine weeks. It is special to be able to share this moment with Stan and Fabian,” said Federer.
“It’s a fantastic feeling to have all three Swiss gold medal winners here,” said Basel City official Christoph Eymann.
He praised them for their fair play and sportsmanship, adding: “They are a model for youth, not only in sport but in everyday life.”
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