Print the Biography/Short

Nadja Wenger

Switzerland

SportSpeed Skating
NOCSwitzerland
Born27 May 1991 in  Glarus
GenderWomen
Higher educationGovernment Relations - University of Lucerne: Switzerland
OccupationAthlete
LanguagesEnglish, French, German
ResidenceSchenkon, SUI
Personal Bests
EventRecordDateLocation 
Personal Bests
  Event RecordDateLocation 
    500m 43.43 05 Dec 2020 Inzell  
    1000m 1:21.98 29 Feb 2020 Salt Lake City, UT  
    1500m 2:02.70 07 Mar 2020 Salt Lake City, UT  
    3000m 4:15.52 03 Dec 2021 Salt Lake City, UT  
    5000m 7:18.73 20 Nov 2021 Salt Lake City, UT  
General Interest
General Interest
Memorable sporting achievementCompeting at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. (blick.ch, 05 Feb 2022; SportsDeskOnline, 28 Oct 2022)  
Other sportsShe has represented Switzerland in roller speed skating, and competed at the world championships in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2023. (CCN Inline Europe Instagram profile, 29 Aug 2023; SportsDeskOnline, 11 Oct 2023; rollerenligne.com, 23 Jun 2019)  
Famous relativesHer younger brother Livio has represented Switzerland in both speed skating and roller speed skating. He competed at the 2018 and 2022 Olympic Winter Games, and the 2019 World Roller Games in Barcelona, Spain. (SportsDeskOnline, 28 Oct 2022; srf.ch, 13 Aug 2017)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Reason for choosing this sportShe and her brother Livio were introduced to inline skating by their elder sibling Marco. She later took up speed skating on ice after encouragement from coach Kalon Dobbin.  
General Interest
General Interest
Most influential person in careerCoach Kalon Dobbin. (Athlete, 14 Nov 2019)  
Hero / IdolSwiss tennis player Stanislas Wawrinka. (Athlete, 14 Nov 2019)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?She began speed skating in October 2018.  
General Interest
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." [Samuel Beckett] (Athlete, 14 Nov 2019)  
Other informationRAPID RISE
Having begun inline skating alongside her brothers Livio and Marco, she did not take up ice speed skating until 2018. In less than four years, she was representing Switzerland at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. "During my studies I was still active in inline skating. During this time, studying was the top priority. In 2018 I completed my master's degree and was now able to concentrate fully on sport. That was the moment I switched to speed skating and ever since then my focus has been on the sport. Livio was a little earlier than me. That has to do with the fact that I was still studying and it is almost impossible to do professional speed skating in Switzerland. For example, there is no 400 metre track. That's why I came to speed skating relatively late. I have benefited a lot from the experience Livio previously had." (blick.ch, 05 Feb 2022; unilu.ch, 28 Jan 2022)

FURTHER EDUCATION
She has studied for a master's degree in global governance and world society at the University of Lucerne in Switzerland. She has also studied for a degree in law. (blick.ch, 05 Feb 2022; unilu.ch, 28 Jan 2022; Athlete, 14 Nov 2019)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
She has served as a columnist for the Luzerner Zeitung newspaper in Switzerland. (luzernerzeitung.ch, 06 Oct 2023, 20 Oct 2022)
 
Social Media
Social Media
www.facebook.com/nadja.wenger.1  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Training RegimeShe trains up to 25 hours a week in Geisingen, Germany, during the northern hemisphere summer months.  
General Interest
General Interest
MilestonesShe competed in team pursuit alongside her international teammates Kaitlyn McGregor and Ramona Hardi at the 2021 World Cup event in Heerenveen, Netherlands, which was the first time Switzerland had been represented in women's team pursuit on the World Cup circuit. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Feb 2021; swissiceskating.ch, 15 Dec 2020)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Name of coachKalon Dobbin [national], NZL  
Championships results
Year Competition Event Rank  
Championships results
    2020/2021 World Single Distances Championships Team Pursuit 6 Laps7  
    2020/2021 World Single Distances Championships Mass Start 16 Laps12  
    2019/2020 European Single Distances Championships Mass Start 16 Laps14  
    2019/2020 World Single Distances Championships Mass Start 16 Laps17  
    2021/2022 European Single Distances Championships Mass Start18  
    2022 Olympic Games Mass Start19  
World Cups
Year Competition Event Rank  
World Cups
    2020/2021 World Cup Classification Mass Start 16 Laps17  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification Mass Start25  
    2019/2020 World Cup Classification Mass Start 16 Laps27  
    2020/2021 World Cup Classification 3000m34  
    2022/2023 World Cup Classification 3000/5000m50