Simmering "on top"

Hollywood-style action thriller brings promotion

Simmering celebrates promotion to the Badminton Bundesliga.(Bild: Martin Kober )

After more than 40 years, WAT Simmering is back in the top division of domestic badminton. The script in the play-off for promotion resembled a blockbuster from the dream factory.

If Hollywood ever wanted to make a badminton movie - WAT Simmering provided the perfect template! In the final duel in the promotion play-off, which could hardly have been more exciting, Simmering beat Ohlsdorf 7:1 and secured promotion to the 1st Bundesliga. "The players went to celebrate afterwards, I was completely exhausted and went to bed," said coach Manuel Rösler, describing the tension that fell away from him.

One thing was clear: an 8:0 or 7:1 victory was needed to secure promotion after winning the Bundesliga 2 title. At 6:1, it was all to play for in the final mixed doubles match. Simmering even fended off match points - then the cheers erupted!

"That could actually have gone against us," said the Simmering team, who had the luck of the draw on their side. This means that Austria's largest badminton club, with around 230 members, is back in the country's top division after more than 40 years.

The successful WAT Simmering team.(Bild: Tobias Garcia-Navas )

As if that wasn't enough, the second team secured the title in the Vienna state league: "We have also registered for the promotion play-off to the 2nd Bundesliga." The WAT from the eleventh district would be the only club in Austria with teams in the 1st and 2nd Bundesliga. Squad planning is already underway. The "success movie" enters its second episode.