Graduation

SSM bids farewell to former pupil Haberl at the Olympics

Paul Stapelfeldt, Lukas Haberl, Managing Director Thomas Wörz, Lisa Dengg (from left).(Bild: SSM)

Three former SSM graduates looked back on the benefits of the model. Sailor Lukas Haberl was sent off to the Olympic Games, where he hopes to win the first medal for an SSM graduate since 2008.

To mark the upcoming graduation, the Salzburg Junior Sports Model hosted an annual get-together at the Rif Sports Center, where three former graduates looked back on their time at the SSM. Lisa Dengg, Paul Stapelfeldt and Lukas Haberl all agree that this model enabled them to pursue their sporting goals alongside their school education. "The SSM gave me the chance to combine the two areas of sport and school, which would otherwise not have been possible," says ice bull Stapelfeldt. The 25-year-old celebrated his World Championship debut in the Czech Republic just a few weeks ago and is currently preparing for the new season.

Nacra 17 sailor Lukas Haberl is also celebrating a premiere. The Salzburg native is taking part in his first Olympic Games this year. He will travel to Marseille again on Wednesday for a training block in order to prepare perfectly for the conditions there. "We've been there every year for six to seven weeks to train," says the 25-year-old, who already knows the French port city well. "With little wind, we have great speed. We can certainly show off in conditions like these," hopes the UYC Mondsee athlete.

Judoka Lisa Dengg is looking forward to building up a second mainstay alongside her active role as an athlete. In the so-called gender trainee program, she can complete her master's degree in sports science, work as a coach and still pursue her goals. "Training camps or national team assignments are made possible. We make sure that sport doesn't fall by the wayside," emphasizes the Bischofshofen native.