Switzerland at the 1920 Summer Olympics

Switzerland at the
1920 Summer Olympics
Switzerland at the; 1920 Summer Olympics
IOC code	SUI
NOC	Swiss Olympic Association
Website	www.swissolympic.ch (in German and French)
in Antwerp
Competitors	77 in 13 sports
Flag bearer	Luigi Antognini
Medals; Ranked 13th	Gold 2 Silver 2 Bronze 7 Total 11
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
	1896; 1900; 1904; 1908; 1912; 1920; 1924; 1928; 1932; 1936; 1948; 1952; 1956; 1960; 1964; 1968; 1972; 1976; 1980; 1984; 1988; 1992; 1996; 2000; 2004; 2008; 2012; 2016; 2020; 2024;
Other related appearances
	1906 Intercalated Games

Switzerland competed at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. 77 competitors, all men, took part in 45 events in 13 sports.^[2]

Medalists

Gold

Willy Brüderlin, Max Rudolf, Paul Rudolf, Hans Walter and Paul Staub — Rowing, Men's four with coxswain(4+)
Robert Roth — Wrestling, Freestyle heavyweight

Silver

Fritz Hünenberger — Weightlifting, Light heavyweight
Charles Courant — Wrestling, Freestyle light heavyweight

Bronze

Édouard Candeveau, Alfred Felber and Paul Piaget — Rowing, Men's pair with coxswain (2+)
Fritz Zulauf — Shooting, Men's 30m military pistol
Fritz Kuchen, Albert Tröndle, Arnold Rösli, Walter Lienhard and Caspar Widmer — Shooting, Men's team military rifle, 300m + 600m
Fritz Zulauf, Joseph Jehle, Gustave Amoudruz, Hans Egli and Domenico Giambonini — Shooting, Men's team 30m military pistol
Fritz Kuchen — Shooting, Men's 300m military rifle, prone
Eugène Ryter — Weightlifting, Featherweight

Aquatics

Diving

A single diver represented Switzerland in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport. Knuchel competed in the springboard event, but was unable to advance to the final.

Men

Ranks given are within the semifinal group.

Diver	Event	Semifinals			Final
Diver	Event	Points	Score	Rank	Points	Score	Rank
Paul Knuchel	3 m springboard	33	431.35	7	did not advance

Swimming

Four swimmers, all men, represented Switzerland in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport. None of the swimmers advanced to an event final.

Ranks given are within the heat.

Men

Swimmer	Event	Quarterfinals		Semifinals		Final
Swimmer	Event	Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Result	Rank
Henri Demiéville	400 m breast	7:12.4	2 Q	Unknown	4	did not advance
Hans Drexler	1500 m free	Unknown	4	did not advance
Jean Jenni	100 m free	Unknown	5	did not advance
René Ricolfi-Doria	400 m free	Unknown	5	did not advance
René Ricolfi-Doria	1500 m free	did not finish		did not advance

Water polo

Switzerland competed in the Olympic water polo tournament for the first time in 1920. A modified version of the Bergvall System was in use at the time. Switzerland lost heavily to Belgium in the opening round. Because Belgium eventually finished with the silver medal, Switzerland should have had a chance to play for the bronze; it is not clear why they did not.

Round of 16

Belgium

11–0

Switzerland

Antwerp

Final rank: 9th

Athletics

13 athletes represented Switzerland in 1920. It was the nation's fourth appearance in athletics. A pair of ninth-place finishes were the team's best results.

Ranks given are within the heat.

Athlete	Event	Heats		Quarterfinals		Semifinals		Final
Athlete	Event	Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Result	Rank
Stanislas Anselmetti	3 km walk	N/A				Disqualified		did not advance
Stanislas Anselmetti	10 km walk	N/A				did not finish		did not advance
Luigi Antognini	Shot put	10.32	19	N/A				did not advance
Constant Bucher	Decathlon	N/A						5273.280	10
Oscar Garin	10000 m	N/A				33:04.4	5 Q		9
Alfred Gaschen	5000 m	N/A				15:38.0	6	did not finish
Alfred Gaschen	10000 m	N/A				34:38.4	5 Q	did not advance
Ernst Gerspach	Decathlon	N/A						5947.780	9
Josef Imbach	100 m	11.0	2 Q	11.1	3	did not advance
Josef Imbach	200 m	23.5	2 Q	23.1	2 Q	did not finish		did not advance
Hans Kindler	Long jump	6.34	15	N/A				did not advance
Paul Martin	800 m	N/A		1:59.8	5	did not advance
Willi Moser	110 m hurdles	N/A		did not finish		did not advance
August Waibel	100 m		4	did not advance
August Waibel	200 m		4	did not advance
Josef Imbach Walter Leibundgut Adolf Rysler August Waibel	4 × 100 m relay	N/A				44.2	4	did not advance

Boxing

A single boxer represented Switzerland at the 1920 Games. It was the nation's debut in boxing. Reichenbach lost his first match, in the welterweight round of 16.

Boxer	Weight class	Round of 32	Round of 16	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Final / Bronze match
Boxer	Weight class	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Rank
Willy Reichenbach	Welterweight	Bye	Ireland (GBR) L	did not advance			9

Opponent nation	Wins	Losses	Percent
Great Britain	0	1	.000

Total	0	1	.000

Round	Wins	Losses	Percent
Round of 32	0	0	–
Round of 16	0	1	.000
Quarterfinals	0	0	–
Semifinals	0	0	–
Final	0	0	–
Bronze match	0	0	–

Total	0	1	.000

Fencing

Eight fencers represented Switzerland in 1920. It was the nation's fourth appearance in the sport. Switzerland competed only in the épée competitions. Edouard Fitting was the only Swiss fencer to advance to the quarterfinals, where he was eliminated. The team was much more successful than any of the individuals, advancing to the finals before finishing in fifth overall.

Ranks given are within the group.

Fencer	Event	First round		Quarterfinals		Semifinals		Final
Fencer	Event	Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Result	Rank
Louis de Tribolet	Épée	3–5	6	did not advance
Eugène Empeyta	Épée	3–5	6	did not advance
Edouard Fitting	Épée	5–4	3 Q	3–7	8	did not advance
Frédéric Fitting	Épée	2–5	7	did not advance
Henri Jacquet	Épée	2–6	8	did not advance
John Albaret Louis de Tribolet Eugène Empeyta Édouard Fitting Frédéric Fitting Henri Jacquet Léopold Montagnier Franz Wilhelm	Team épée^[3]	N/A				3–1	2 Q	1–4	5

Ice hockey

Switzerland competed in the inaugural Olympic ice hockey tournament. The team suffered the most lopsided loss of the tournament in a 29–0 defeat by the United States in the quarterfinals, Switzerland's first match. The American team's eventual winning of the silver medal qualified Switzerland for the bronze medal tournament. In the bronze medal semifinals, the Swiss played a closer game but still lost to Sweden, 4–0.

Roster

Coach: Max Sillig

Pos	Player	GP	Birthdate	Age
F	Rodolphe Cuendet	1
R	Louis Dufour Jr.	2	July 26, 1901	18
F	Max Holzboer	1
D	Marius Jaccard	2	March 27, 1898	22
F	Bruno Leuzinger	1	January 6, 1886	34
D	Paul Lob	2	July 13, 1893	26
G	René Savoie	2	February 9, 1896	24
F	Max Sillig	1	November 19, 1873	46
F	Walter von Siebenthal	1	June 6, 1899	20
D	Louis Dufour Sr.	1	1873	~47

Gold medal quarterfinals

24 April 1920
17:00

United States

29 – 0
(15–0, 14–0)

Switzerland

Palais de Glace d'Anvers

Goalies

Referee:

Conroy (8)
J. McCormick (7)
Drury (6)
Goheen (6)
Fitzgerald
Tuck

Goals

7 min

Penalties

0 min

Bronze medal semifinals

28 April 1920
23:30

Sweden

4 – 0
(0–0, 4–0)

Switzerland

Palais de Glace d'Anvers

Goalies

Referee:

Säfwenberg	1 – 0
Johansson	2 – 0
Arwe	3 – 0
Arwe	4 – 0

0 min

Penalties

0 min

Final rank: 5th (Tied)

Rowing

Thirteen rowers represented Switzerland in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport. Two of the four boats won medals, with the coxed fours team taking gold and the coxed pairs taking bronze.

Ranks given are within the heat.

Rower	Cox	Event	Quarterfinals		Semifinals		Final
Rower	Cox	Event	Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Result	Rank
Max Schmid	N/A	Single sculls	7:49.0	2	did not advance
Édouard Candeveau Alfred Felber	Paul Piaget	Coxed pair	N/A		8:50.0	1 Q	Unknown
Willy Brüderlin Max Rudolf Paul Rudolf Hans Walter	Paul Staub	Coxed four	N/A		7:03.0	1 Q	6:54.0
P. Baur Rudolf Bosshard Willy Brüderlin Charles Freuler Max Rudolf Paul Rudolf Franz Türler Hans Walter	Paul Staub	Eight	6:21.4	2	did not advance

Skating

Figure skating

A single figure skater represented Switzerland in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport. Megroz took eighth place out of nine skaters in the men's singles.

Skater	Event	Final
Skater	Event	Result	Rank
Alfred Megroz	Men's singles	52.5	8

Shooting

Fifteen shooters represented Switzerland in 1920. It was the nation's third appearance in the sport, and first since 1900. The team's five bronze medals gave Switzerland the fourth-most total medals in 1920, but put them behind ten other teams who had won at least one gold or silver.

Shooter	Event	Final
Shooter	Event	Result	Rank
Gustave Amoudruz	300 m free rifle, 3 pos.	959	Unknown
Ulrich Fahrner	300 m free rifle, 3 pos.	947	Unknown
Fritz Kuchen	300 m free rifle, 3 pos.	961	Unknown
Fritz Kuchen	300 m military rifle, prone	59
Werner Schneeberger	300 m free rifle, 3 pos.	947	Unknown
Bernard Siegenthaler	300 m free rifle, 3 pos.	906	Unknown
Fritz Zulauf	30 m military pistol	269
Eugene Addor Joseph Jehle Fritz Kuchen Werner Schneeberger Weibel	300 & 600 m team military rifle, prone	563
Gustave Amoudruz Hans Egli Domenico Giambonini Joseph Jehle Fritz Zulauf	30 m team military pistol	1270
Gustave Amoudruz Hans Egli Domenico Giambonini Bernard Siegenthaler Fritz Zulauf	50 m team free pistol	2136	9
Gustave Amoudruz Ulrich Fahrner Fritz Kuchen Werner Schneeberger Bernard Siegenthaler	Team free rifle	4698
Fritz Kuchen Walter Lienhard Arnold Rösli Albert Tröndle Caspar Widmer	300 m team military rifle, prone	281	4
	300 m team military rifle, standing	234	8
	600 m team military rifle, prone	279	6

Tennis

Three tennis players, all men, competed for Switzerland in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport. Simon was the only one of the Swiss players to win a match; Syz and Chiesa each lost their first, as did the Simon and Syz pair in the doubles.

Player	Event	Round of 64	Round of 32	Round of 16	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Finals	Rank
Player	Event	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Rank
Alberto Henri Chiesa	Men's singles	Bye	Brugnon (FRA) W 6–4, 7–5, 6–4	did not advance				17
Charles Simon	Men's singles	Bye	de Satrústegui (ESP) W 3–6, 8–6, 6–2, 6–8, 6–2	Malström (SWE) L 6–2, 6–2, 6–0	did not advance			9
Hans Syz	Men's singles	Lammens (BEL) L 6–3, 6–4, 3–6, 7–5	did not advance					32
Charles Simon Hans Syz	Men's doubles	N/A	Bye	Balbi & Colombo (ITA) L 6–3, 7–5, 3–6, 6–4	did not advance			9

Opponent nation	Wins	Losses	Percent
Belgium	0	1	.000
France	0	1	.000
Italy	0	1	.000
Spain	1	0	1.000
Sweden	0	1	.000

Total	1	4	.200

Round	Wins	Losses	Percent
Round of 64	0	1	.000
Round of 32	1	1	.500
Round of 16	0	2	.000
Quarterfinals	0	0	–
Semifinals	0	0	–
Final	0	0	–
Bronze match	0	0	–

Total	1	4	.200

Weightlifting

Two weightlifters represented Switzerland in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport. Both men won medals, though neither was able to take a gold.

Weightlifter	Event	Final
Weightlifter	Event	Result	Rank
Fridriech Hünenberger	82.5 kg	275.0
Eugène Ryter	60 kg	210.0

Wrestling

Four wrestlers, all in the freestyle discipline, competed for Switzerland in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport. Roth took the gold medal in the unlimited weight class, with Courant taking silver in the light heavyweight.

Freestyle

Wrestler	Event	Round of 32	Round of 16	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Finals / Bronze match	Rank
Otto Bron	Middleweight	Bye	Leino (FIN) (L)	did not advance			9
Charles Courant	Light heavyweight	N/A	Bye	van Rensburg (RSA) (W)	Redman (USA) (W)	Larsson (SWE) (L)
Daniel Kaiser	Featherweight	N/A	Bye	Ackerly (USA) (L)	did not advance		5
Robert Roth	Heavyweight	N/A		Salila (FIN) (W)	Meyer (USA) (W)	Pendleton (USA) (W)