Viktor Röthlin Second at the Swiss Sports Awards 2007 – Roger Federer Athlete of the Year

Roger Federer expressed his excitement and thanks for his fourth title in a live interview from Dubai. A paramount result: All three juries – media, athletes (Swiss Olympic Card holders) and the public, all voted for the athlete from Basel. The two other nominees were Viktor Röthlin, marathon bronze medallist from this year's world championships, and Fabian Cancellara, time trial world champion. "I hope that I will win the award yet another time next year, so that I can be there with you to receive the award in person", Roger Federer concluded in Dubai.

The results of this year's Sports Awards were no surprise: Federer had an extraordinary season. Thus, it was rather tough for the two other contenders. But Fabian Cancellara was quite content with his perfect year. "What more can I ask for", he said. Viktor Röthlin with his formidable bronze medal at the athletics world championships predicted even before the Sports Awards gala: "I do not really have a chance to win the award." The result proved him right: Federer collected 62.06 percent of the votes, 23.56 percent went to Röthlin, and 14.38 percent to Cancellara. With his fourth triumph, Federer equalled Tony Rominger's record.

A nomination for the Sports Awards is a great honour. Swiss medals at athletics world championships are rare and precious, especially in the long distances were athletes from Africa dominate the world elite. In the heat of Osaka, where several experienced stars had to drop out of the race, the 32 year-old Swiss runner succeeded in a tactical masterstroke. He caught up with the leading athletes in an impressive way in the last of the 42,195 kilometres, advancing from sixth to third position, and beating everyone but world champion Luke Kibet from Kenya and Kenya-born Mubarak Hassan Shami from Qatar.

In the final 2000m, Röthlin even gained 23 seconds on Kibet. In 2006, he had won the silver medal at the European Championships, and in Japan, he was the 'inofficial European champion'. The seventh Swiss medal at athletics world championships was the first in the marathon.