01/04/2017 10:17
Playing in Liechtenstein always special for von Deichmann
2017 CEV Snow Volleyball European Tour
Malbun, Liechtenstein, April 1, 2017. To play any kind of Volleyball in his country is always very special for Liechtensteiner Maximilian von Deichmann. Today will be the first time the 25-year-old athlete with dual German and Liechtenstein citizenship will represent the tiny principality at an official Snow Volleyball competition and he will do that on home snow in Malbun.
With the 2017 CEV Snow Volleyball European Tour visiting the picturesque Alpine village this weekend for its penultimate sixth stop of the season, Maximilian von Deichmann and his partner Manuel Gahr will become the first Liechtenstein pair to ever appear on an official Snow Volleyball competition.
“I started playing Volleyball at the age of 12,” von Deichmann starts telling his story. “Now I play indoor Volleyball in Munich. In September, I finished my Bachelor’s degree in Economics majoring in Sports Management. I hope to start pursuing my Master’s in October of this year.”
Maximilian von Deichmann and Manuel Gahr have been teammates on the sand for more than ten years now. They represented Liechtenstein at three editions of the Games of the Small States of Europe and two years ago in Iceland, they added the gold medal to their collection of one silver and one bronze.
“Manuel and I have played together for a very long time and it was always a good time. I think we are a pretty good match on the court,” says Maximilian, who is eagerly looking forward to stepping out on the court for their official Snow Volleyball debut as a pair.
However, this will not be von Deichmann’s first time to play competitive Snow Volleyball. His first time was just a week ago, when he teamed up with Germany’s Johannes Kessler and reached the semi-finals of the strong Snow Volleyball Goes Europe international tournament in Wagrain-Kleinarl, Austria.
“It was a lot of fun and we had some good games. Unfortunately, we lost our semi-final and the match for the third place too. However, overall, it was a good tournament and we really enjoyed it. I think Snow Volleyball is a good opportunity to play the game in the wintertime. It is a lot of fun. Of course, you have to get comfortable with the snow at the beginning, but you get used to it,” Maximilian shares his thoughts about his first encounter with the new winter discipline.
“Playing in Liechtenstein as a Liechtenstein athlete is always special. We recognised that while playing at the CEV Beach Volleyball Satellite in Vaduz. Everyone is cheering and pushing us forward. So we are more motivated to play well in Malbun and to give our best,” concludes the Liechtensteiner.
Gahr/von Deichmann were drawn into seed 14 out of the 21 men’s teams participating and will be starting their campaign with a first-round match against Switzerland’s Samuel Werner/Adrian Wirz on centre court.
For further information on the European Tour, click here or visit SnowVolleyball.com.
|