28 Nov 2011 at 14:30 | Published by: Hans | Views: 12397 | News search

Omar Maggi playing in Stockholm  (Photo by Patric Fransson 2011)

Interview with Omar Maggi (OM), Switzerland and MC Olten

This interview was done the 23th of October 2011. Interviewer is Hans Bergström (HB).

HB: First of all congratulations to the team bronze medal in Stockholm Championship? Are you satisfied with the results in the team?

OM: Thanks Hans. I’m pretty satisfied with the results in the team competition. The important thing was to win a medal. The silver medal was this year pretty difficult to reach.

HB: Can you tell our readers little about yourself? Who is Omar Maggi?

OM: I was born in 1981 and I began play minigolf in 1992. Since 1995 I’m playing also for the Swiss team. I played 7 European championships and 3 World championships and my best individual results, was this year in Stockholm with a very good 7th place in the matchplay. I won 4 medals with the Swiss team: 2 silver and 2 bronze.

In Switzerland, I play for MC Olten and in the last 4 years we have won the Swiss team-Competition.

HB: What were your personal and the Swiss team goals before the Championship?

OM: Our goals for the Championship in Stockholm were a medal with the both teams and my personal goal was getting a diploma in the individual ranking. I knew that it could be difficult, but I was pretty confidant.

HB: For you personally it was a quite adventurous trip ending with a trip to Swedish Hospital by ambulance. Can you tell us what happened?

OM: At the end of my last round for the team-competition (I was the number one of the Swiss team), I decided to eat a “good and strong” Hot-Dog…

Unfortunately for me, a bee had the same idea and so I ate it… It was a very shock for me when I understood that this hot-dog was a little bit too strong… :)

The problem is that I’m also allergic and so I told to my team-mate to call an ambulance, because my throat has begun to grow up …

HB: And how was the Swedish health care taking care of you?

OM: The Swedish health care was perfect. The 2 people in the ambulance were very kind with me and tried to relax me. At the hospital was also perfect and I felt me like in Paradise…in fact I was in the middle of beautiful nurses… :)

HB: Last year the Swiss ladies won the European Championships but this year they had to cope with bronze. Was the ladies team disappointed?

OM: Yes of course they were disappointed, because they had the opportunity to make better and confirm the fantastic performance of Predazzo.

Unfortunately the competition was not so easy for our girls and also the fact that now the team-competition last only 6 rounds had a bad effect.

HB: Are you happy with your performance in the stroke play (30th)?

OM: I’m happy with my performance in the miniature course, but pretty disappointed with the concrete. My average was absolutely too high and for this reason I was only 30th…

It’s difficult to explain why I played so bad in concrete (during the qualification).

HB: On Saturday you meet and won against one of the home favorites Carl-Johan Ryner. How did you prepare for this game?

OM: After 2 times that in the Matchplay I was out still in the first round, this time I prepared myself a little bit different.

I was very concentrated and I gave my best for win this match. I played very well on the concrete (8 aces on 9 lane) and after in the miniature I was a little more relaxed cause I had some points of advantage.

HB: Then you won also over Manfred Lindmayer, Austria but lost in the quarter final against Marcel Noack. Are you satisfied with these results in the Match Play?

OM: I’m satisfied to have won against Manfred, because for me was the revenge of Predazzo, where I’ve lost in the first round. The match against Marcel was very difficult because I was very tired and I didn’t give my best. Marcel played very well and he was absolutely the best in this match.

HB: Now tree months later which memories are the strongest from Stockholm?

OM: When I think to Stockholm, the first thing that I have in my mind is the hospital…

If I had to say about minigolf, the strongest thing in Stockholm was when Carl-Johan Ryner congratulates me after I beat him. He was so kind and I have a full respect of Carl-Johan.

HB: What is your opinion about the way the Stockholm championships were played with 2 days team, one day stroke play and one day match play?

OM: With these modifications I’m not so happy with the reduction of the days for the team-competition. I think that with this reduction, the randomness growing up. My first goal when I play a Championship is the teamcompetition.

HB: Your club, MC Olten was also playing in the European Cup ending as 4th team. Can you tell us about that experience?

OM: It was a great experience like always, but we were very disappointed of our tournament. We didn’t play very well and we did a lot of mistakes. I want to thank GSP Vergiate for the fantastic organization.

HB: If you could recruit any player in the world, as long as it’s not a Swiss, to play for your club MC Olten, who would you pick?

OM: First of all I want to say that at the moment I don’t think that we need anyone else in our team, but if I had to say a player, I don’t have any doubt.

I will be very happy to play with one of my best friend: Pierre Zetterlund.

HB: What happens next for you in Minigolf?

OM: At the moment there are not a lot of tournament to play, but we have still begin to train in Langnau, for the first Day of Swiss competition that would be played the first weekend of February.

HB: Again a big congratulation to the bronze medals in Stockholm and good luck in the future.

OM: Thank you Hans for the Interview I wish you all a fantastic 2012.

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