Xenia Buri – Switzerland’s Rising Sprint and Hurdles Star

Personal Information

Full Name: Xenia Buri
Nationality: Swiss
Date of Birth: January 9, 2008
Age: 17 years old
Height: 1.76 meters (5’9″)
Hometown: Bätterkinden, Bern, Switzerland
Club: LC Kirchberg
Coach: Daniel Ritter
World Athletics Athlete Code: 14987735

Athletic Profile

Xenia Buri is one of Switzerland’s most promising young sprint and hurdles athletes, representing the next generation of Swiss track and field excellence. Following in the footsteps of Swiss sprint legends Mujinga and Ditaji Kambundji, Buri has already established herself as a record-breaking talent with extraordinary potential for future international success.

Primary Events

• 100 Metres (primary specialty)
• 60 Metres (indoor)
• 100 Metres Hurdles (76.2cm height)
• 60 Metres Hurdles (76.2cm height – indoor)
• 200 Metres
• 4×100 Metres Relay
• Long Jump (secondary event)

Major Athletic Achievements

World and European Rankings

• Current World Ranking: #130 in Women’s 100m
• European U18 All-Time Best: Equals the record with 11.24 seconds in 100m (ties with Britain’s Jodie Williams from 2010)

Swiss National Records (Current Holder)

U18 Records:

• 100 Metres: 11.24 seconds (June 14, 2025) – European U18 All-Time Best
• 60 Metres: 7.21 seconds (February 22, 2025) – broke Mujinga Kambundji’s 2009 record
• 60 Metres Hurdles: 8.16 seconds (2025) – broke Ditaji Kambundji’s record

U20 Records:

• 100 Metres: 11.24 seconds – also holds U20 Swiss record
• 60 Metres: 7.21 seconds – also holds U20 Swiss record

U18 Relay Record:

• 4×100 Metres Relay: 44.80 seconds (June 2025) – with teammates Mara Schwitter, Carina Stettler, and Timea Rankl

Personal Best Performances (2025 Season)

Sprint Events:

• 100 Metres: 11.24 seconds (June 14, 2025) – equals European U18 all-time best
• 60 Metres: 7.21 seconds (February 22, 2025) – Swiss U18 and U20 record
• 200 Metres: 25.42 seconds (May 26, 2024)

Hurdles:

• 60 Metres Hurdles: 8.16 seconds (2025) – Swiss U18 record
• 100 Metres Hurdles: 13.30 seconds (2025)

Other Events:

• 4×100 Metres Relay: 44.07 seconds (June 29, 2025)
• Long Jump: 5.69 metres (February 25, 2023)

Notable Competition Results

2025 Achievements:

• European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) – Silver Medal in 100m (July 2025)
• Multiple Swiss U18 and U20 records broken throughout the season
• Swiss U18 Champion in 100m and 60m hurdles

2024 Achievements:

• Swiss U18 100m record: 11.63 seconds at Swiss Championships in Lausanne
• Multiple personal bests across sprint and hurdles events

Early Life and Athletic Development

Background and Family

Xenia Buri was born and raised in Bätterkinden, a small community in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland. She lives with her parents, Carola and Roland Buri, and her older sister Michaja in a family home that her parents built approximately ten years ago. The family is very supportive of Xenia’s athletic pursuits, with her parents often driving her to training sessions and accompanying her to competitions.

Athletic Beginnings

Buri’s path to track and field was not immediate. Like her older sister, she initially tried tennis but found it uninteresting and felt she wasn’t particularly talented at it. She then joined a local girls’ gymnastics group (Mädchenriege), where she first encountered track and field athletics. The experience sparked her passion for the sport, leading to her eventual transfer to LC Kirchberg, where she continues to train today.

At age seven, Buri won her first UBS Kids Cup, one of Switzerland’s premier youth athletics programs. She later triumphed in the Visana Sprint, both competitions that have previously launched the careers of other Swiss athletics stars including multi-event world champion Simon Ehammer and pole vault European champion Angelica Moser.

Overcoming Adversity

Buri’s career faced a significant challenge in May 2023 when she suffered a devastating setback. During her first outdoor race of the season, she crashed over the final hurdle in a 100m hurdles race, tearing her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The injury required surgery and extensive rehabilitation, forcing her out of competition for nearly a year.

Initially, the injury was mentally devastating for Buri, who told her coach from her hospital bed that she didn’t want to compete in hurdles anymore. However, she eventually transformed this setback into motivation, using the extended recovery period to work intensively with her physiotherapist and return stronger than ever. This experience taught her how much athletics truly meant to her and strengthened her determination to succeed.

Education and Career Aspirations

Academic Pursuits

Xenia Buri is currently enrolled at the Sportgymnasium Neufeld in Bern, a specialized sports high school that allows student-athletes to balance their academic and athletic commitments. Her academic program is structured over five years instead of the typical four, providing additional time to focus on her athletic development while still pursuing her Matura (Swiss university entrance qualification).

Future Educational Goals

Looking toward the future, Buri has expressed interest in pursuing higher education, though she hasn’t yet made a definitive decision about her field of study. She has mentioned potential interest in both business/economics and law, demonstrating her intellectual curiosity and desire to keep multiple options open as she continues to develop both academically and athletically.

Athletic Career Aspirations

Short-term Goals (2025-2026):

• Winning medals at U18 Indoor and Outdoor Swiss Championships
• Continuous improvement of personal best times
• Participation in the 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival in Skopje (achieved – Silver Medal)
• Competing with the U20 4x100m relay team at the U20 European Championships in Tampere

Medium-term Goals:

• Strong performances at national and international major competitions
• Transition from youth to senior level competition
• Establishing herself among Europe’s elite sprinters

Long-term Goals:

• Participation in European and World Championships
• Competing at the Olympic Games
• Following in the footsteps of her heroes, the Kambundji sisters

Training and Technical Development

Coaching and Training Environment

Buri trains under the guidance of Daniel Ritter at LC Kirchberg. Ritter is not only her club coach but also serves as the head of the national performance center in Bern-Magglingen, providing Buri with access to elite-level coaching and facilities. Ritter has praised Buri’s exceptional work ethic, noting that she rarely misses training sessions and approaches every session with determination and focus.

Training Philosophy and Work Ethic

What sets Buri apart, according to her coach, is her attitude and commitment. Ritter emphasizes that “it’s a question of mindset” – Buri attends every training session without question and has always wanted to be the best in competition. Her competitive spirit is evident in her frustration whenever someone runs faster than her, driving her to continually improve.

Technical Focus Areas

Currently, Buri identifies her race starts as an area needing improvement, admitting that she has never executed a start in competition exactly as she envisioned. This technical aspect represents a significant opportunity for improvement that could further enhance her already impressive times.

Training Regimen

Buri’s training schedule is intensive and varied, including:

• Strength training in the gym
• Speed and agility sessions
• Hurdles technique training
• Pilates for flexibility and core strength
• Technical sprint training

Personal Interests and Lifestyle

Daily Life and Schedule

Buri maintains an extremely demanding schedule that requires careful time management. Her days are packed with training sessions, school commitments, and travel to competitions. Family dinners rarely begin before 7:30 PM, as someone in the family is usually still at training or school commitments.

Family Time and Personal Values

Despite her busy schedule, Buri values her family time highly. She describes herself as a “family person” and prefers to spend her limited free time with her loved ones. The family regularly gathers for dinner, often enjoying simple meals like spaghetti with tomato sauce or pesto, accompanied by healthy salads to support her athletic nutrition needs.

Role Models and Inspiration

Buri’s primary role models are the Kambundji sisters – Mujinga and Ditaji – both of whom she has looked up to since childhood. She has had opportunities to meet them during training in Bern and was thrilled when they congratulated her on breaking their youth records. However, she is also conscious of forging her own path rather than simply copying her heroes.

Internationally, she admires Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt, drawing inspiration from his dominance and charismatic personality in the sport.

Support System

Buri receives support from the Swiss Sports Aid Foundation (Stiftung Schweizer Sporthilfe), which provides financial assistance to promising young athletes. This support helps cover training costs, equipment, and competition expenses as she develops her career.

Her parents and sister form the core of her support system, regularly attending competitions and providing transportation to training sessions. The family has made significant sacrifices to support her athletic ambitions, including scheduling family activities around her training and competition calendar.

Future Outlook and Potential

Immediate Prospects

As Buri approaches age 18, she stands at a crucial juncture in her athletic development. She will soon transition from U18 to U20 competition, where she can continue to chase records and establish herself among Europe’s elite young sprinters. Her recent European Youth Olympic Festival silver medal demonstrates her ability to perform on the international stage.

Long-term Potential

With her combination of natural talent, exceptional work ethic, and access to world-class coaching and facilities, Buri appears positioned to become Switzerland’s next great sprint star. Her versatility in both sprints and hurdles provides multiple pathways for international success, and her young age means she has ample time to continue developing technically and physically.

Technical and Physical Development

At 1.76 meters tall, Buri possesses ideal physical attributes for sprinting, combining height with the power and speed necessary for elite performance. Her technical development continues under expert guidance, with particular focus on improving her race starts – an area that could unlock even faster times.

Legacy and Impact

Breaking Barriers

By breaking the long-standing records of the Kambundji sisters, Buri has announced herself as the heir apparent to Switzerland’s sprint legacy. Her achievements represent not just personal success but the continued strength of Swiss sprint athletics and youth development programs.

Inspiration for Young Athletes

Buri’s story – from early struggles with sport selection through a devastating injury to record-breaking success – serves as inspiration for young athletes facing their own challenges. Her demonstration that setbacks can become stepping stones to greater success resonates throughout Swiss athletics.

Role Model Status

Despite her young age, Buri is already emerging as a role model for aspiring Swiss athletes. Her combination of athletic excellence, academic commitment, and strong family values presents a positive example for youth both in and out of sport.

Go Xenia!