Alfred Leiser

Alfred Leiser’s first sporting love was horses, and he became interesting in horse racing after World War II. He had some success as a trainer during the 1950s, but an accident on the track that killed one of his horses led him to abandon the sport for over a decade. In the interim, he took up racewalking and was selected to represent Switzerland at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, but he was unable to attend after his nation withdrew from those Games in protest of the Soviet Union’s invasion of Hungary. He was, however, able to attend the 1960 Rome Games, where he placed 25th in the 50 kilometers walk. By the time of his 1962 retirement, he had earned nine national titles. In 1970, he returned to the sport of horse racing, where he remained active for the next four decades.

Personal Best: 50kmW – 4-26:03 (1960).