Edith Hunkeler
Encyclopedia
Edith Hunkeler is a Swiss
wheelchair racer, who competes at the Olympic
and Paralympic
level.
Hunkeler was in a car accident at age 22 which left her a paraplegic. She began wheelchair racing two years later.
At the 2004 Olympic Games, she finished 6th in the demonstration sport of Women's 800m wheelchair
. She also participated in the 2004 Summer Paralympics
, where she won a silver medal in both the 1500 metre and 5000 metre races. At the 2008 Paralympics
, she took bronze in the 1500 metres and a gold in the marathon. She advanced to the finals of the 5000 metres, but crashed and caused a pile-up shortly before the end of the race. She suffered a broken collarbone in the accident and was disqualified from participating in the re-run of the race.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
wheelchair racer, who competes at the Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
and Paralympic
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
level.
Hunkeler was in a car accident at age 22 which left her a paraplegic. She began wheelchair racing two years later.
At the 2004 Olympic Games, she finished 6th in the demonstration sport of Women's 800m wheelchair
Wheelchair racing at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Wheelchair racing at the 2004 Summer Olympics was featured as two demonstration events as part of the Athletics programme at the Athens Olympic Stadium on August 22, 2004. Medals were not awarded, as the sport was not part of the official competition....
. She also participated in the 2004 Summer Paralympics
2004 Summer Paralympics
The 2004 Summer Paralympics were held in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, an estimated 4,000 athletes took part in the Athens programme, with ages ranging from 11 to 66. Paralympic events had already taken place during the 2004 Summer Olympics as...
, where she won a silver medal in both the 1500 metre and 5000 metre races. At the 2008 Paralympics
2008 Summer Paralympics
The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao....
, she took bronze in the 1500 metres and a gold in the marathon. She advanced to the finals of the 5000 metres, but crashed and caused a pile-up shortly before the end of the race. She suffered a broken collarbone in the accident and was disqualified from participating in the re-run of the race.