Bells ring for winning Swiss in Vancouver (News Feature)

By Ulrike John Feb 23, 2010, 1:36 GMT

Vancouver - The cow bells are ringing in Vancouver and Swiss fans have every reason to party in the House of Switzerland in the host city and in the hills of Whistler.

Sports Minister Ueli Maurer can even imagine a bid to host a future Games - all thanks to the gold medal rush enjoyed by the Swiss team at the winter Olympics.

Two gold medals from ski jumper Simon Ammann and victories in downhill for Didier Defago, Dario Cologna in cross-country and Michael Schmid in ski cross have put the Swiss behind only the United States, Germany and Norway in the medal standings.

That's two more than rivals Austria who Monday won the team event in ski jumping. But then the Swiss weren't competing. They haven't got a team to measure up, so Ammann took the day off to go skiing.

The Swiss team already has as many golds as won at the 2006 Games in Turin or 1988 in Calgary when its tally of five gold, five silver and five bronze has yet to be surpassed.

A home Olympics was last celebrated in 1948 in St Moritz but Maurer said she would not be closing the door to a possible bid.

The Swiss have already been doing themselves some favours with their victories here. Cow bells are a sales hit with Canadian fans and there have been plenty of opportunities to wave the flag with the white cross on red.

Ammann was carried on skis into the House of Switzerland in Whistler after his second gold and with four Olympic wins he has now overtaken alpine ace Vreni Schneider. Cologna's first cross-country gold for Switzerland delighted the Swiss just as much.

'Winning Olympic medals don't solve all our country's problems,' said the sports minister. 'But if a nation is good at sport it is an expression of its ability to performance.'