Switzerland Today

Dear Swiss Abroad,  

This briefing comes to you from a jubilant Switzerland, celebrating its first Olympic gold medal of the 2024 Summer Games, in the women’s 50m 3P rifle. As I’m writing this, we’re still waiting for the results of a few more finals, but the day is looking particularly promising for Swiss athletes so far. Way to go Team Switzerland!  

Keep reading for more updates on sports – and beyond – from the Alpine country this Friday.  

EPA/VASSIL DONEV

In the news: Switzerland’s first gold medal, suspended flights to Tel Aviv, a historic visit to Mongolia, and rising flat prices.  

• Chiara Leone wins Switzerland’s first gold in Paris Olympics. The 26-year-old from canton Aargau (pictured) became Olympic champion in the 50m air rifle three-position match.  
• Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has suspended flights between Zurich and Tel Aviv since yesterday, also extending the suspension of flights between Zurich and Beirut. This is in response to recent developments in the Middle East. Flights to and from Beirut were already suspended last Monday, as announced by the Lufthansa Group, of which SWISS is a member. This suspension is now extended until August 12. 
• Swiss President makes historic visit to Mongolia. Viola Amherd, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year, and Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh signed a joint declaration today on future cooperation, marking the first visit by a Swiss president to Mongolia. 
• Apartment building prices in Switzerland are rising, whereas those for office properties are stagnating. Compared to the second quarter of 2023, prices for apartment buildings rose by 4%, according to the Zurich-based consulting and research company Fahrländer Partner Raumentwicklung (FPRE).

EPA/VASSIL DONEV

How is Switzerland faring at the Paris Olympics (so far)? Here’s a roundup of the Alpine country’s standout moments at the sporting event. 

It’s fair to say that Céline Dion’s comeback performance of “L’Hymne à l’amour” at the foot of the Eiffel Tower during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics was a breathtaking highlight of the night. But how about Switzerland’s performance in the Olympics? Exactly a week after the start of the games, let’s take a look at how the Swiss are faring. 

In the medal table, Switzerland is currently in 21st place with one gold medal, won by 26-year-old Chiara Leone in the women’s 50m air rifle three-position event. It has also secured a silver medal, thanks to triathlete Julie Derron, and three bronze medals: Audrey Gogniat in the 10m air rifle, Roman Mityukov in the 200m backstroke, and Andrin Gulich and Roman Röösli in the double sculls. 

So far, Switzerland has won a total of five medals, which might seem modest compared to the United States’ 40 or France’s 29. However, China leads in gold medals (12). With a week still to go, Switzerland has got off to a strong start. Last year, the country finished 24th in the medal table with 13 medals, its most successful Olympics since 1952. Can Team Switzerland outdo themselves this time around? 

Keystone

Swiss ‘Schwingen king’ hangs up his wrestling boots  

This sport hasn’t quite made it to the Olympics, but it certainly holds a special place in the hearts of the Swiss. We’re talking about Schwingen – a traditional form of wrestling where competitors keep their regular clothes on and use them as leverage during the matches. 

Kilian Wenger, known as the king of “Schwingen”, announced his retirement today, as reported by Swiss public television, SRFExternal link. The 34-year-old first took the title of king of Frauenfeld in 2010 and became a real star for fans of Switzerland’s traditional sport, racking up 23 wreath festival wins and a total of 110 wreaths. 

However, Wenger has been dealing with back problems since his early years, and recently he’s struggled to compete without pain. That’s why he’s announced he’s stepping away from the wrestling scene. 

Would you like to know more about Swiss wrestling? Then read this article from our archives.