Albane Valenzuela on road to Tokyo
06.07.2021

After a first Olympic experience in Rio in 2016 as an amateur player, Albane Valenzuela will again be part of the Swiss Olympic delegation this summer in Tokyo.

Now a professional on the LPGA Tour, the Geneva-based player confirmed her participation and shared her enthusiasm about this new selection. "I have no words to describe how proud and excited I am to represent my country in Tokyo this summer. I still can't believe it's been 5 years since I competed in Rio as an amateur, I am so humbled to return to the Games now as a pro" she wrote on Instagram to accompany several souvenir photos of her first Olympic experience.

Morgane Métraux was also part of the Swiss Olympic selection following her excellent results on the Symetra Tour, particularly her recent first-ever victory at the Island Resort Championship in the USA. However, the Lausanne-based golfer had to make the difficult decision not to participate in the Tokyo Olympics in order to ensure that she would be able to play enough Symetra Tour tournaments this season to maintain her place among the top 10 players on the tour and join the LPGA Tour, the world's most prestigious women's tour, in 2022. "That's still my main goal. By participating in the Games, I would be forced to miss out on important Symetra Tour tournaments, which could jeopardise my promotion", explained Morgane Métraux.

The Swiss Professional Golfers Association is very proud to have seen two of its members selected by the International Golf Federation to participate in the 32nd edition of the modern Olympic Games and is looking forward to following closely the progress of Morgane Métraux on the Symetra Tour and not missing out on Albane Valenzuela's performance in Tokyo, which looks very promising. "I'm really looking forward to playing for Switzerland again. I obviously want to fight for a medal, but I have to approach this tournament like any other and simply try to perform at my best", said the 23-year-old athlete. But before that, the two Swiss proettes will both be competing in the only Major played on European soil, The Amundi Evian Championship, from 22 to 25 July.

Photo: Albane Valenzuela, Rio 2016, The Associated Press