By Irene Lustenberger
The village of Menzberg, located at around 1000 m above sea level, has just under 600 inhabitants. M. is located and belongs to the municipality of Menznau LU. And yet it is a kingdom, as the town sign clearly states. In the village center, posters make it clear who lives here: wrestling queen Isabel Egli.
When you enter her living room, the first thing you notice are the numerous wreaths hanging neatly on the wall. A few pieces of furniture also indicate that Isabel Egli has already celebrated some successes in her career: 24 wreaths and seven wreath festival victories. The 27-year-old achieved her most glorious victory at the end of August in the Valais capital of Sion, when she had the Golden Wreath placed on her head. Even weeks later, she sometimes still can’t believe that she has achieved her big goal. “But when I look at a summary or a newspaper report, the victory is present again,” she says. The nurse usually doesn’t like to be the center of attention. “I had to get used to it first. Especially because the community had organized a reception for me.”
Her aunt was also queen
With her triumph, Isabel Egli is continuing a family tradition. Because her aunt is none other than the five-time wrestling queen Brigitte Burri-Kunz (40). Father Ueli and mother Barbara also swung. It is therefore not surprising that not only Isabel, but also her sister Manuela Dreyer-Egli (30) and her brothers Damian (29), Samuel (25), Adrian (22) and Severin (20) climb into the Zwilchhosen. “I could have chosen another sport, but since everyone in the family does it, I thought swinging was the coolest.” Her partner Adrian Dirt (31) is also a wreath swinger. Egli has been together with the carpenter from the Basel area for four years. “I didn’t really want a wrestler as a boyfriend,” she says with a laugh. “But we go to strength training at the same place and that’s how we got to know each other.” Sport is also important to the couple in their free time. “We like to be outside in nature, go hiking, play tennis or ski.” The two are also very fond of animals: while he looks after the eleven rabbits, she helps on her parents’ farm.
She also trains with men
The wrestling queen doesn’t have a specific role model: “I take things from different people. With Roger Federer, for example, I admired the fact that he did what was right for him. Among the wrestlers, I like the determination of Samuel Giger, Fabian Staudenmann and Joel Wicki. They go into the ring and are focused. And I can learn the technology from them.”
For a year now, the wrestling scene has been “ruled” by two people from Lucerne, as the current king Joel Wicki (27) also comes from the central Swiss canton. So far the two haven’t had much to do with each other. “Joel already knows who I am, especially because of my brothers. He also came to my reception and I was able to talk to him there. But it would be nice if we could do something together,” says Egli. She mostly trains with her colleagues from the Steinhuserberg women’s wrestling club, where she is the technical manager, but also gets into the sawdust ring once a week with the men from the Wolhusen wrestling club. «I often hear that I wouldn’t have a chance then. But because I sometimes have to compete against heavier opponents in competitions, I like to practice the grip and technique with men. For me it’s not about winning, it’s about conditioning strength, which you can’t learn in strength training.” But you don’t have to be a “ruech” or man’s woman to be a wrestler. “There are also petite, quiet wrestlers who are successful. But you can’t be too nice,” she says with a wink.
Now she is the hunted one
Isabel Egli works as a team leader for somatic care at Spitex. «Since I’m rather calm and relaxed, many people can’t even imagine that I swing. Some are even afraid that I will hurt myself if I have to compete against tough opponents,” she reveals. She sees some parallels between swinging and her work: “Stamina is crucial in both, and it doesn’t work without positive thinking.” Whether it’s a defeat in a competition or whether you’re helping a client not to lose the courage to live – it’s important to appreciate the things you have. In addition, discipline and goal-oriented thinking are important in both her job and her hobbies.
Speaking of goals: What does Isabel Egli want for women’s wrestling? “That he becomes more professional and receives more recognition.” We are on the right track, but we still need a lot. As wrestling queen, she wants to be a good ambassador for the sport – and to attack again next year. Then she goes from hunter to hunted. “Of course everyone wants to win against the wrestling queen,” she says. «But I will continue to attack. I achieved my big goal, but no one is saying that it can’t happen a second time.”
