Fivers boss Menzl:

“That was just the beginning of the success story!

Team captain Bilyk is considered the Fivers figurehead.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The Olympic ticket was missed, but the future belongs to Austria's men's handball team. That's how Fivers boss Thomas Menzl sees it. He is particularly pleased that eight of his protégés with a Margaretner connection took part in the qualifying tournament in Hanover. "That underlines our successful training path." 

Fivers family: Nigg (from left), Bergmann, Damböck, Hutecek, Wagner and Bilyk with buddy and Croatia star Ivan Martinovic.(Bild: Fivers)

Eight men! That sounds like a top score. In addition to Croatia's star Ivan Martinovic (who made an outstanding comeback in the 35:29 win against Austria) and stand-in keeper Kristian Pilipovic, six current or former Fivers in Austrian kit fought for a ticket to Paris in Hannover. Namely team captain Niko Bilyk, Lukas Hutecek, Tobias Wagner, Eric Damböck, Jakob Nigg and keeper Leon Bergmann. The latter made his senior team debut, making an exclamation mark in the 31:34 final against Germany with a 37 percent defense rate. "Leon was thrown in at the deep end at this tournament and did really well," said Fivers boss Thomas Menzl about the 19-year-old. "He has justified his nomination, which is already future-oriented."

The Margaretner wing pairing of Damböck and Nigg also impressed in the 41:26 win against Algeria, scoring ten goals between them. "It was really great how the two of them used their playing time. I hope they come back to us with a lot of self-confidence, motivation and passion." The journey home took place on Monday morning. On Tuesday, Damböck and Co. will return to Vienna's top club, where the next tricky tasks await - such as the home match against HLA leaders Schwaz in the Cup quarter-finals on Saturday with former colleague Boris Tanic in goal.

Despite missing out on an Olympic ticket, Menzl, who was delighted with Hutecek's visit during the last league win in Hollabrunn, emphasized: "It was a pleasure to see so many Fivers on the international stage. And even if it's a shame that it didn't work out with the Olympics after the European Championship fairytale: I don't think it was the end of the success story for Austria, but just the beginning." Bilyk agreed: "We have a very young team and can still develop further. If we continue on this path, I hope it will be something in four years' time." Namely at the next Games, in Los Angeles in 2028.