Franz Nietlispach

Franz Nietlispach (born 2 April 1958) is a Swiss wheelchair athlete, handcyclist, and a politician.

He has competed in every Summer Paralympic Games from 1976 to 2008, winning an incredible total of fourteen gold, six silver, and two bronze medals.

At the 2008 Beijing Games, Nietlispach competed only in cycling; this was the first time he appeared at the Paralympics without participating in an athletics event.

[3] In 2006, Franz Nietlispach began a project in which he got together with Jaroslaw Baranowsky from Poland, to create a lighter, more aero-dynamic hand-cycle.

They ended up selling around 60-80 carbon hand-cycles per year - however, he does not do that anymore, focussing on his racing and the Paralympics.