Comeback not until January

“This is the biggest test of my life so far”

Another cruciate ligament operation threw Vici Deisl back to the starting line. As a result, even the smallest progress now counts even more for the volleyball legionnaire. The Salzburg native will probably not make her comeback until January.

When Vici Deisl is asked about her hobbies outside of volleyball, reading comes before cycling and outdoor activities. "Especially fantasy, because it's all about imaginary powers." Which one would particularly wish for the 24-year-old from Seekirchen during her injury odyssey.

After the setter was stopped by a serious knee injury, including a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament, during her third foreign posting in Hämeenlinnan, Finland - after Schaffhausen (Sz) and Liberec (Tch) - in November last year, she worked on her comeback at her club until the end of February. Before Vici was not in pain, but felt a little strange when she felt her knee. Then came the bitter diagnosis: the posterior cruciate ligament was also torn!

A good three months later, Deisl is now back where she was before the second shock diagnosis in February. "It's certainly the biggest test of my life, I've never faced such a challenge before," emphasizes the athlete, who came home in March and underwent another operation in Salzburg - now by Doc Bernd Hiller.

"But everyday life is already getting back to normal, I enjoy every step forward, however small it may be," she can now say, recently celebrating her first bike lap on social media.

The plan going forward: "Full throttle rehab, come back as strong as possible." "Physio" Martin Streitfellner, a former beach volleyball player, is also helping with this. The comeback is scheduled for January. At a club in red-white-red and in the national team. "After that, I want to go abroad again."

An answer is being sought
Deisl, who is studying financial management and is also working for the Austrian Volleyball Association over the summer, will soon be traveling abroad for two weeks as a tourist on a road trip through Switzerland, France and Italy. Perhaps she will find a special answer there too. "I'm actually always positive, I believe that everything that happens has a reason. I just haven't figured out the one for this injury yet."