Beijing Games end on happy note for Swiss

Keystone

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games have ended with a vibrant ceremony of fireworks, theatrics and star guests.

Judo middleweight Sergei Aschwanden led the Swiss delegation into Beijing’s Bird’s Nest Stadium for the celebrations, an honour accorded to Roger Federer in the opening ceremony.

The 32-year-old was one of six medal winners for Switzerland during the 16-day event, with podium triumphs also in doubles tennis, cycling and mountain biking.

Despite a number of near misses and an overall 34th ranking in the country medals table, the Swiss Olympic Association said they were happy with Switzerland’s performance and had aimed to match the five medals gained in the 2004 Games.

Association president Jörg Schild said Switzerland’s hopes had been raised high with wins in the first week – perhaps a little too high.

Switzerland won three medals on August 13, the first time the delegation had achieved a triple win in one day since the summer Olympics of 1952.

Schild said: “The Games are like a decathlon: only the end result counts.” He added that he was “satisfied” with the outcome.

“We are not far from our objective for the London 2012 Olympic Games of reaching the top 25 in medal ranking,” added the head of the delegation Werner Augsburger.

Redemption

The Swiss competitors did not disappoint in cycling, with gold and bronze medals collected by Fabian Cancellara in the men’s individual time trial and men’s road race and a bronze by Karin Thürig in the women’s individual time trial.

On the penultimate day of the Games, Nino Schurter brought in another bronze for his time in the men’s mountain bike race.

Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka redeemed early singles tennis losses by taking the gold in the men’s doubles event.

After suffering defeats in Sydney and Athens, Sergei Aschwanden also pulled through to win a bronze for the judo men’s middleweight event. His win provoked one of the most emotional celebrations in the Swiss camp.

Returning home empty-handed after near misses will be Flavio Marazzi and Enrico De Maria who came fifth in the Star sailing, along with several competitors who came in sixth, including Nathalie Brugger in the women’s one person dinghy race, Swann Oberson in the ten-kilometre marathon swimming, Nicola Spirig in the women’s Olympic triathlon, Dominik Meichtry in the 200m freestyle swimming and Viktor Röthlin in the men’s marathon.

In October the Swiss equestrian team will find out if their show jumping performance will be bumped up to the bronze medal position. Four horses, including one from Norway’s bronze-medal team, were provisionally suspended for doping with a pain-relieving substance during the competition and a final verdict is awaited from the Court of the International Equestrian Federation.

Only five athletes – and the four horses – have tested positive for banned substances. More than 4,500 tests were carried out, 900 more than in Athens four years ago.

“Exceptional”

The start of the Games was overshadowed by fears of the effects of pollution on competitors and amid continuing concern over China’s human rights record.

But it will nevertheless be remembered for several record-breaking performances, a highlight of which was United States swimmer Michael Phelps’s collection of eight gold medals.

Also lauded was Jamaican Usain Bolt who broke records and claimed gold in the 100 and 200 metre events and the 4×100 metre relay.

China topped the gold medal table with 51 top places, compared with the 36 gained by the US. China also gained 100 medals overall but was overtaken by the 110 medals amassed by the US.

An elaborate ceremony was held to close the Games on Sunday, beginning with fireworks and followed by masterful dance and theatrical displays interspersed with performances by opera tenor Placido Domingo and Chinese soprano Song Zuying, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and a token football kick by David Beckham.

At one point Beijing’s mayor Guo Jinlong handed over the Olympic flag to London mayor Boris Johnson.

The proceedings in the Swiss-designed Bird’s Nest Stadium were followed by around 90,000 spectators and athletes.

Addressing the event, International Olympic Committee chairman Jacques Rogge said: “These Games have been exceptional. Through these Games, the world has learnt a lot about China and China has learnt a lot about the world.

“Now according to tradition I proclaim the end of the 29th Olympiad and I invite the young people of the world to gather in London in four years to celebrate the 30th Olympiad with us.”

swissinfo, Jessica Dacey

Switzerland’s medals

Gold: Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, Men’s Doubles

Gold: Fabian Cancellara, Cycling, Men’s Individual Time Trial

Bronze: Fabian Cancellara, Cycling, Men’s Road Race

Bronze: Karin Thürig, Cycling, Women’s Individual Time Trial

Bronze: Sergei Aschwanden, Judo, Men’s Middleweight (81-90 kg)

Bronze: Nino Schurter, Men’s Mountain Bike Race

2008 OLYMPIC GAMES

The 2008 Olympic Games were hosted by China from August 8-24. The Paralympic Games will take place from September 6-17.

The Games were centred in the Chinese capital, Beijing, with six other venues hosting certain events, including Hong Kong (equestrian) and Shanghai (football).

Some 10,708 athletes competed in 302 events in 28 different sports. In the Paralympics 4,000 athletes will take part in 471 events encompassing 20 sports.

Eight-four Swiss athletes travelled to China to improve on their performance in Athens in 2004, when the Swiss medal haul totalled one gold (fencing), one silver (cycling) and three bronze (cycling, triathlon, volleyball).

Top ten countries

Total medals gained –

United States 110
China 100
Russia 72
Britain 47
Australia 46
Germany 41
France 40
South Korea 31
Italy 28
Japan 25