Anouck Vergé-Dépré and Karl FrehsnerFISU supports the university sports all around the globe and encourage its members to give recognition to students who accomplished a dual career, combining sports and studies. The Swiss National University Sports Federation celebrates each year the Swiss Students Sports Award during the traditionnal festivities of Swiss University Sports.
The bronze medallist in beach volleyball at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Anouk Vergé-Dépré, was honoured with the Swiss Students Sports Award during the traditional Swiss University Sports ceremony at the Lucerne Exhibition Centre for her successful dual career, combining top-level sport and studies. The Lifetime Award, presented for the first time, was given to skiing legend Karl Frehsner, who has also coached the alpine athletes of the Swiss delegation at the Universiades for many years.
Mike Kurt, President of Swiss University Sports, stressed the fact that Karl Frehsner has championed dual careers for decades. “He has enabled many athletes to participate in the Universiades. Innovative spirit is not a question of age, but of mindset. Karl was and still is an inspiration to me, the way he still bubbles over with ideas. The way he, as a coaching legend, takes care of our young athletes at the Universiades and makes time for them is absolutely remarkable.” Related to the Winter Universiade 2021 in Lucerne, Mike Kurt stated: “We were able to launch a number of legacy projects around Lucerne 2021, which will hopefully have a long-term impact.”
In the presence of Jürg Stahl, President of Swiss Olympic, as well as many federation representatives and politicians, there was not only a review of Tokyo 2020 and an outlook on the upcoming Winter Universiade in Central Switzerland and Graubünden, but there was also an emphasis on the increasing importance of dual careers. This was expressed both in the commendation by Simone Righenzi, Head of Competitive Sports at Swiss University Sports, for Anouk Vergé-Dépré and in the commendation for Mike Kurt given by the Federation President Mike Kurt. In their words of gratitude, both honourees underlined the importance of being able to combine top-level sport and education and asked for further support in this direction. The ceremony, which was professionally presented by Beat Antenen, was enriched with musical and dance performances.
Jürg Stahl, President of Swiss Olympic and a strong supporter of the Lucerne 2021 Winter Universiade, was very proud to have signed the agreement with the organisation; swissuniversities. “This agreement is an important piece of the puzzle for the overall success of Swiss sport. Anouk Vergé-Dépré from the University of Fribourg is an excellent example of an athlete who successfully combines elite sports and studies. She is a great ambassador for the dual career,” Stahl said.
