Alexander Horst and Clemens Doppler at the Beach Volleyball European Championships in Vienna, Austria on August 12. Photo: BeachMajorSeries/ACTS
It couldn’t have been anywhere else. After two years, the Austrian legends Clemens Doppler and Alexander Horst returned to the Red Bull Beach Arena in Vienna for their last appearance together. To the place where they experienced some of the greatest moments of their successful ten-year partnership. You were the flagship of the country in international beach volleyball.
The 40-year-old Doppler, the 38-year-old Horst and each of the almost 2,500 fans in the stadium in the heart of their hometown would have wished that their participation in the A1 CEV EuroBeachVolley presented by Swatch would have lasted longer. The electrifying atmosphere on and next to the court turned the 2-0 (17:21, 12:21) defeat against the Swiss Marco Krattiger and Yves Haussener into an emotional farewell for the local heroes, who, as always, were fierce.
Alex Horst: “Moments that I couldn’t imagine experiencing. Sure, we’ve had successful moments in the last 10 years, but it’s unique that the fans are giving us this farewell. When I think about it, I get emotional again. In any case, I am very proud and grateful. I will never forget that. It was extraordinary. “
Photo: BeachMajorSeries/ACTS
The final point of the game was the end of a team that represented Austrian beach volleyball in the elite of the sport for a whole decade, took part in two Olympic Games (London 2012 and Rio 2016) and won 13 medals in 97 international tournaments, including silver the World Championship 2017 in Vienna and bronze at the EuroBeachVolley 2014.
Clemens Doppler: “During the lap of honor someone told me that we gave him the best moments in his life. That is what it is all about, that people associate emotions with us. We put our sport in the foreground. There were bitter moments and really nice moments that we all experienced together. That’s why these 10 years together are so nice for us. I will never forget this emotional farewell.”
The ardent fans refused to leave the Red Bull Beach Arena while their idols were still there and kept singing their names to prolong this special moment for Austrian beach volleyball.
Photo: BeachMajorSeries/ACTS
The early elimination of the legends Doppler and Horst did not mean the end of the Austrian tournament participation. While Martin Ermacora / Moritz Pristauz, Alexander Huber / Christoph Dressler and Julian Hörl / Laurenz Leitner lost their two pool games and were thus eliminated from the EuroBeachVolley, Robin Seidl and Philipp Waller keep the host country alive with one of their two games in Pool A.
Thanks for everything Clemens and Alex, you are legends!
News:
A1 CEV Beach Volleyball European Championship
ÖVV – Volleyball Austria
