Gold at the 2014 Olympics and 2015 Universiade!

PGS women’s podium: fr. l. to r. Selina Joerg, Patrizia Kummer, Nadya Ochner

SIERRA NEVADA – Patrizia Kummer (SUI) is currently studying psychology at the University of Bern. At 27, Patrizia already has a mantelpiece full of brass: bronze and silver in parallel giant slalom at the World Championships in 2009 and 2013, and …gold at the Sochi Olympics in 2014.

The Master of Psychology student, who specialises in neuropsychology and the development of psychology, can count on the support of the University for her sports career: “Thanks to the internet, I can follow the distance courses and select courses for each semester. Nevertheless, the snowboard is my first love and for now, I prefer my sports career. But I really want to finish my studies successfully, because they are of great importance to me. In the future, I would like to work with children”, Patrizia commented.

Patrizia already participated twice at the FISU Winter Universiade prior to Granada: a 7th place in Erzurum in 2011 and a 4th place in Trentino in 2013. She came to Granada with big ambitions: “I take each race very seriously. Victory was my main goal. I am very happy to have won this competition”, Patrizia said, who also was an ambassador for last year’s International Festival of University Sport in Lausanne. “It was very new to me. I took this role to heart. If I can be a model for other students, I’m happy.”

For Patrizia, the Universiade is very similar to the Olympics, “I know the majority of competitors who regularly participate in World Cups and the Olympics. The level here is really high! But what I love most of all, is the atmosphere at the Universiade. We spend a lot of time together. It is very family friendly. And we also have the chance to meet athletes from all over the world and from different sports!”, Patrizia ended.

David Vandenplas, Media Assistant