Congratulations to Matthias Kyburz from Switzerland, The World Games Athlete of the Month for July 2023!
The 33-year-old Orienteer recently won the gold medal over Middle distance at the World Championships in Flims Laax in his home country Switzerland. A career biologist, he dominated the race with the fastest time throughout. He left the second-placed Joey Hadorn, also from Switzerland, behind him by a full two minutes. When he crossed the finish line, he could celebrate with his fans in fully relaxed fashion.
Matthias Kyburz has been one of the stars of his sport for more than ten years. In 2012 he celebrated the first of his seven world championship titles. His career at The World Games has been just as successful. With six gold medals, two silver and one bronze, the Orienteer is among the top ten of all athletes at the TWG. Especially in 2013 at the TWG in Cali, Colombia he performed in an outstanding way, claiming the top position on the podium three times. In 2022 at the TWG in Birmingham, USA, Matthias Kyburz missed the title in his favourite discipline of Middle distance and finished as runner-up. But the medal collector was not without gold. In the Relay he secured a new title at The World Games as a member of the winning Swiss team. It was his sixth Gold medal in three editions.
Curious fact: Matthias Kyburz is not only fast with a map in the terrain. He has also celebrated success in a discipline where there is no way to get lost on a track. In 2020 he set a new world record for a 50 kilometer run on the treadmill. He needed 2 hrs. 56 mins. and 36 secs. for this long-distance race at home.
As The World Games Athlete of the Month, Matthias Kyburz receives a diploma and a branded gift.
The World Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association, organised with the support of the International Olympic Committee. The World Games 2022 was held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 7-17 July 2022. 3,600 athletes from 34 sports and 100 countries took part in the Games. The 12th edition of The World Games will be held in Chengdu, CHN, 7-17 August 2025.
