Stan Wawrinka celebrated his 2008 Olympic gold medal in Beijing by arriving at the Olympic Village early in the morning without an accreditation or shirt, wearing only his gold medal around his neck, bluewin.ch reported. Werner Augsburger, who served as the Chef de Mission for Swiss Olympic during the 2004, 2006, and 2008 Games, recounted the anecdote as Wawrinka concluded his tennis career.
The Electric Scooter Request Before the Tournament
During the Beijing Games, electric scooters arrived on the Chinese market and quickly became popular within the Olympic Village. Augsburger recalled that Wawrinka visited his office nearly every day to request an e-scooter to ride around the complex.
Augsburger told Wawrinka that he could only have a scooter after his tournament matches finished. Wawrinka lost in the second round of the men’s singles tournament but remained active in the men’s doubles draw alongside partner Roger Federer.
The Gold Medal Victory and Morning Incident
Federer and Wawrinka secured the gold medal for Switzerland in the men’s doubles tournament in Beijing. After initial celebrations at the House of Switzerland, Wawrinka continued his celebrations into the early morning hours.
Augsburger received a telephone call early in the morning from an Olympic Village security guard stating that a Swiss athlete wanted to enter without an accreditation. Augsburger walked to the entrance and found Wawrinka missing his official team T-shirt, which he apparently gave away, and lacking his accreditation, but wearing his gold medal.
"He had to wait a while, but the matter was cleared up quickly and Stan was allowed in," Augsburger said, noting that Wawrinka was not upset by the delay because his excitement over the victory was too high.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which event did Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer win at the 2008 Olympics?
Wawrinka and Federer won the gold medal in the men’s tennis doubles tournament at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Who was the Chef de Mission for Swiss Olympic in 2008?
Werner Augsburger served as the Chef de Mission for the Swiss delegation at the Olympic Games in 2004, 2006, and 2008.
What happened to Stan Wawrinka in the singles tournament in Beijing?
Wawrinka was eliminated from the men’s singles tournament during the second round before capturing the doubles gold medal with Federer.
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