Switzerland is also the Olympic champion in the supreme discipline of shooting at the Games in Paris. Reactions to Chiara Leone's gold medal.
The father - "I don't think I have any fingernails left," says Nicola Leone, the Olympic champion's father. He believed that his daughter could make it, "but I didn't feel it. It was open until the end."
The youth coach - Ignaz Welte, Chiara Leone's J+S coach, on the other hand, was convinced of the gold mission from the very beginning. "When Chiara ran into the hall, I knew 'she's going to do it today, she's going to do it'." I got the bike going, now I'm not so close. But sure, I cried. It touches me."
The sports psychologist - Sports psychologist Jörg Wetzel naturally plays a big part in the success of the "psycho sport" of shooting. However, he states: "The medal belongs first to the athlete, then to the coach, who is present every day, and only after that comes the sports psychologist as a service provider." He also specifically mentions the achievements of head coach Daniel Burger. "He has professionalized the environment. From the Rössli stump image to top-class sport."
Wetzel talks about the walk he took with Chiara Leone on the eve of the final. "I didn't give any advice, because that would be a slap in the face." But he sensed the mood and then went through three points with the shooter.
Firstly: "Stay relaxed, show joy. Nobody dies because you're now in the final." - Secondly: "Accept what happens in the competition. One bad shot. Okay, it goes on." - Third: "Close the bag! Take your place. Show yourself ready to fight. You want to be better than the others."
The teammate - "No words, I probably won't have a voice tomorrow," says teammate Christoph Dürr. "I shouted just as loudly at Nina three years ago. But now to experience this on site. It's unbelievable." The man from eastern Switzerland also emphasizes how the whole thing should be classified. "First medal for the Swiss team in Paris, gold again for the Swiss team, two medals again in Paris with two new athletes, always a medal since Rio 2016. There's so much behind it!"
