Switzerland has participated in the summer Olympics since the first modern day Olympics of 1896. A total of 198 medals have been won by Swiss athletes in the summer games, including 53 gold medals.
Shooter Louis Richardet leads all Swiss athletes in the Olympics when it comes to multiple gold medals. Richardet won five in the Olympics, in the men's 20m military revolver (shooting) at Athens 1906. He also won in the men's 50m free pistol (shooting) at Paris 1900, men's 300m three-position free rifle (shooting) twice at Paris 1900 and again at Athens 1906. His other medal was in the men's 300m kneeling or standing military rifle (shooting) at Athens 1906.
Two Swiss athletes have four gold medals each in the summer games-Georges Miez (pictured) and Konrad Staheli. Miez, a gymnast, won in the men's individual all-around (gymnastics), team all-around (gymnastics) and horizontal bar (gymnastics) at Amsterdam 1928. He also won in the floor exercise (gymnastics) at Berlin 1936. Staheli, a shooter, won gold medals in the men's 50m team free pistol (shooting) at Paris 1900, in the 300m kneeling free rifle at Paris 1900, and two golds in the 300m three-position free rifle-at Paris 1900 and at Athens 1906.
Nine Swiss athletes have won two gold medals each in the summer games:
- Emil Kellenberger (shooting)
- Conrad Karl Roderer (shooting)
- Alfred Grutter (shooting)
- Marcel Meyer de Stadelhofen (shooting)
- Hans Walter (rowing)
- August Guttinger (gymnastics)
- Emile Lachapelle (rowing)
- Hermann Hanggi (gymnastics)
- Eugen Mack (gymnastics)
One of the most recent gold medals won by Switzerland in the summer games were by two world class singles tennis players-Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer (pictured). Wawrinka, a consistent top ten in the ATP rankings, and Federer, a former number one in the world (and was Switzerland's flag bearer in the opening ceremonies), won doubles gold at Beijing 2008 after defeating Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson (SWE) in the final.
As of now, 78 Swiss athletes are headed to London to compete in 13 events, including athletics, cycling, equestrian, swimming and triathlon. The men's football (soccer) team has also qualified for the London games as well.
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