Swiss wrestlers from abroad: proud of their tradition, champions in their own right

Six Swiss expats from North America are heading to Mollis in canton Glarus, for the 2025 Federal Wrestling and Alpine Games Festival (Schwingfest). For some, it’s their first time setting foot in Switzerland – for others, it’s familiar ground. They may live far from Switzerland, but that hasn’t stopped them from embracing one of its oldest sporting traditions. This weekend, six North American wrestlers will step into the sawdust ring to compete in Swiss wrestling, known as Schwingen. Four of the wrestlers come from the US – Marshall Brockway (19), Peter Ming (23), Brenden Spahr (26) and Connor Treat (35). The Canadian contingent comprises Thomas Badat (28) and Martin Mathis (29). What brings them together isn’t just their Swiss roots; it’s the fact they’ve trained far from the heart of the Swiss wrestling scene, driven by a shared passion for the sport. “There aren’t many people in Canada who practise Schwingen,” says Badat during his first training session in Swiss sawdust this ...