The next generation of Olympians

There are a growing number of licensed young Swiss athletes, especially girls. What’s behind this increase? (SRF, swissinfo.ch)

If you look back over the last 20 years, the Swiss athletics delegation in Rio has never been so strong. It’s no coincidence considering that the number of licensed athletes has been rising.

The number of girls has seen a 20% jump in the last five years.

Experts say this is down to a widespread campaign to attract the best young athletes to the sport in the form of the UBS Kids Cup, organised by the Swiss Athletics Federation and Weltklasse Zürich. 

Through regional competitions, the UBS Kids Cup enables the most talented athletes under the age of 15 to qualify until they reach the national finals in Zurich’s Letzigrund stadium.