The Austrian Swimming Federation has unveiled its roster for the 2023 European Short Course Championships slated for December 5th – December 10th in Otopeni, Romania.
A squad of 16 swimmers comprised of 5 women and 11 men will represent the nation, highlighted by Olympians Felix Auboeck and Simon Bucher. Men’s 100m IM bronze medalist from the 2021 European Short Course Championships Bernhard Reitshammer is also among the nominees.
Looking forward to the competition, Bucher said, “I really like the short course and have already shown at the World Championships that I can get involved. If I had taken out all the Europeans, I would have been on the podium. So why not in Otopeni. It could work out and actually I expect it to. My times are currently pretty good.”
23-year-old Bucher’s highest finish at this year’s World Championships came in the men’s 50m fly. After setting a new national record of 23.04 in the semi-final, he ultimately placed 7th in the final with a result of 23.26.
As for Auboeck, who is coming straight from a training camp in Arizona, he said, “I’m in a really good mood at the moment. I haven’t really thought about it yet, but of course I’d like to take a medal with me, of course. Who does not. In the Olympic and World Cup seasons, the European Short Course Championships are not the most important competition, but they are a good check. Just like the qualifying competition in Rotterdam shortly before, where we are all at the start and then travel directly to Bucharest.”
The Rotterdam Qualification Meet begins tomorrow, November 30th and runs through December 3rd in the Netherlands.
OSV sports director Walter Bär expects good performances from the entire team in Otopeni, “The team is in a good mood and is a perfect mix of veterans who can pull the team along and ambitious youngsters who want to move up. Everyone’s recent performances were very promising and I think that we will swim to the finals in some competitions in Romania and therefore have a chance of winning medals.
Quotes courtesy of the Austrian Swimming Federation.
Austrian Roster for the 2023 European Short Course Championships
Women’s
Iris Berger (100, 200 freestyle, 200 backstroke, 100 butterfly)
Marijana Jelic (50, 100 freestyle, 50 butterfly)
Lena Kreundl (50, 200 freestyle, 100, 200 medley)
Lena Opatril (50, 100, 200, 400, 800 freestyle)
Fabienne Pavlik (50, 100, 200 butterfly)
Men
Felix Auböck (200, 400, 800 freestyle)
Simon Bucher (100 freestyle, 100, 200 backstroke, 50, 100, 200 butterfly)
Lukas Edl (50 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 50 , 100 butterfly, 100 IM)
Heiko Gigler (50, 100 freestyle, 50 butterfly, 100 medley)
Luca Karl (400, 800, 1500 freestyle)
Luka Mladenovic (100, 200 breaststroke, 100, 200 medley)
Leon Opatril (50, 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke)
Bernhard Reitshammer (50, 100 breaststroke, 100, 200 medley)
Andreas Rizek (100, 200 butterfly)
Christopher Rothbauer (100, 200 breaststroke)
Alexander Trampitsch (50, 100, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke)
Relays
4×50 freestyle men (tbd)
4×50 medley men (tbd)
4×50 Freestyle Mixed (tbd)