Edith Hunkeler

Edith Hunkeler was born in 1972, grew up in the Swiss Central Plateau and holds a federal diploma in commercial management.

Edith Hunkeler’s life took a critical turn on 22 February 1994, when a car accident on her way to work left her paralysed. After undergoing medical rehabilitation at various hospitals and the Swiss Paraplegic Centre in Nottwil, she embarked on a new life.

In January 1996, she travelled to Florida, where she spent five months learning English. This is when she also started doing sports with enthusiasm, joy and as a balance to daily life. Edith Hunkeler‘s great sporting ambition was to compete at the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney. This dream was not fulfilled, however. Injuries sustained in a bad fall at the Berlin Marathon prevented her from participating. This was a huge setback for her. Looking back, she says she learned a lot during that time and gained the strength to lay the foundations of her later success.

Two Olympic, four World Championship and 13 European Championship titles are her greatest sporting achievements.

Edith Hunkeler has invested much enthusiasm and hard work and takes great pride in her achievements. This is proof of her will and ambition to never give up and always look forwards.

Edith Hunkeler became a mother for the first time on 14 September 2010 when she gave birth to daughter Elin. It is an unconditional love and gratitude she has never felt before.

Edith’s small family means everything to her and the three of them are looking forward to an exciting future.