“It’s hard to be dissatisfied,” said OSV sports director Walter Bär. It’s not just the placements of his protégés, “but also the performances that are really great. We’re among the best in the world. I hope that inspires the youngsters.”
The synchronized swimming duo Anna-Maria and Eirini Alexandri were particularly convincing. The two 24-year-old sisters won double bronze in the technical and free program and gave Austria its first medals at the swimming world championships in 13 years. In 2009, breast swimmer Mirna Jukic also won bronze in Rome. “It was important for the whole team to finally get where you always wanted to be. You deserve it and worked hard for it,” emphasized Bär in an interview with the APA – Austria Press Agency.
Triple sister Vasiliki Alexandri also swam to the top of the world with two fifth places in the solo, but in her opinion the judges prevented a medal. The OSV sees it similarly. “These reviews are sometimes very subjective and you can question them a lot,” said Bär. In the technical freestyle, the Alexandri duet should have won silver, he added. That’s why the association lodged a formal protest, which is still ongoing. “Everyone saw it except the judges.”
For Bär it is a sign that he formulated the protest against the Ukrainian team, which had won silver, “incredibly diplomatically”. “I didn’t protest against the team, but against the mistakes of the referee. I find it very difficult to make this protest under these circumstances. But no external circumstances should have an influence on the rules,” explained Bär.
In addition to the Alexandris, the Austrian pool swimmers also impressed in the Duna Arena. Figurehead Felix Auböck narrowly missed the targeted medal in fourth and fifth place, but the personal bests of the 25-year-old from Lower Austria gave reason for confidence. “With a bit of luck we could have won one or two medals in swimming. But no mistakes were made there, it was a matter of luck,” said Bär, who is now hoping for a boom and a rush to the clubs.
Auböck in particular is a person that young people can look up to. Bär called Bad Vöslauer a “down-to-earth guy” and a “hands-on hero”. Bernhard Reitshammer also came fourth in the 50m breaststroke, Simon Bucher was sixth in the 100m dolphin. “This generation worked really hard for their successes, nothing fell into their laps,” emphasized Bär.
While the swimmers and synchronized swimmers are already looking towards the European Championships in Rome in August, the four OSV water jumpers and open water swimmer Jan Hercog are hoping for good results at the end of the World Championships in the coming days. There should be medals again at the European Championships in Italy, and gold is even possible for the Alexandri duo. “Some nations like China are missing,” said Bär, but: “Of course, the performances have to be shown again in all sports, that’s not a matter of course.”
Source: Nachrichten
