Beach volleyball: the Swiss duo’s nine-year journey to Olympic glory

Tanja Hüberli and Nina Brunner have fulfilled their dream of winning an Olympic medal. Keystone / Anthony Anex

Tanja Hüberli and Nina Brunner have fulfilled their dream of winning an Olympic medal. The journey was long, but the reward was well deserved—even if it wasn't love at first sight.

First impressions can be deceiving, fortunately. When Tanja Hüberli and Nina Brunner first met nine years ago and discussed working together, it didn’t click immediately. “Nina wasn’t quite sure whether life on the tour was for her, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to commit to five years with her right away,” says Tanja Hüberli after their emotional bronze medal win.

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They decided to give it a try and agreed to play together for just one year. “Looking back, it’s crazy that we’re standing here together nine years later,” says Hüberli. Their growth as a team was evident when they stood hand in hand during the national anthem before the bronze medal match, while their Australian opponents stood separately.

A perfect partnership

“Looking back, it’s crazy that we’re standing here together nine years later,” says Hüberli. Keystone / Anthony Anex

Hüberli and Brunner’s Olympic medal is a remarkable achievement. Despite twice winning the European Championships, they had never succeeded on the world stage—until now. This year, the 31-year-old from canton Schwyz and her partner, three years younger and hailing from canton Zug, established themselves among the world’s elite, winning their first tournament at the highest level in Tepic.

The pair complement each other perfectly, even in moments of failure. Hüberli admitted to a sleepless night after their semi-final defeat on Thursday, having missed a match point. “But I slept very well,” Brunner says. “We balance each other out.”

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Their partnership on the court is equally strong, with Brunner’s speed and agility as a defensive specialist perfectly complementing Hüberli’s 1.90-metre presence at the net. They’ve also worked hard on their mental game, adopting the motto: “Don’t look too far ahead; take it game by game.”

A medal wasn’t the initial goal

Even after winning the bronze medal, Nina Brunner insists they never set a medal as their goal. “Absolutely not,” she says, adding that their focus was simply on playing the way they had throughout the season. “It’s so close, you can never predict how things will turn out.” They would not have been content with just any medal, either.

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However, as they advanced, the prospect of a medal naturally became more significant. On Thursday evening, the thought crossed Hüberli’s mind that they had a 50:50 chance of winning the medal. “I also wanted to win it for Switzerland,” she says. “We’ve had enough bad luck with fourth places.”

More significant than European gold

Hüberli values this Olympic medal even more than their two European Championship titles. Keystone / Anthony Anex

Hüberli values this Olympic medal even more than their two European Championship titles, despite the emotional impact of the first title following their disappointment in Tokyo. In 2021, they were defeated in the round of 16 by fellow Swiss players Anouk Vergé-Dépré and Joana Heidrich, who went on to win bronze. Now, Hüberli and Brunner have followed in their footsteps, beaming with pride near the Eiffel Tower late into the night.

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Adapted from German by DeepL/amva

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