Swiss Olympic Champion becomes United States Citizen

Xeno Mueller won gold for Switzerland at the Atlanta Olympic Games. He followed this up with silver in Sydney. Now he is aiming to join the United States team after having his US citizenship approved last week.

Although Mueller has done all of his international rowing for Switzerland, he has lived in the United States since 1992 and feels very comfortable with his decision to change country affiliation.

But this is just the first hurdle for Mueller in the road to Athens. Mueller must first get permission from the Swiss Rowing Federation to race for the US. He then has to win the US trials in April. And, if successful, Mueller must qualify the men’s single at the final Olympic qualification regatta in June. At this event Mueller is required to finish in the top two spots and to add to this it will be in front of his former home crowd – Lucerne, Switzerland.

Mueller will thus have to peak at least twice this year just to make Athens a reality.

At 31 Mueller considers this may be his last chance to compete at the Olympics and although he aims to race at the US trials in a single Mueller has not ruled out team boats. Mueller has been training full time since September 2003 since retiring from international competition during the Swiss National Championships in 2002.

If everything goes to plan for Mueller he will be the first American to win an Olympic gold in the single since 1920.