Anna Meixner: ‘We are on the right track!’

Anna, how are you and how have you spent the past few months preparing for the World Championship?
Anna Meixner: ‘I am very well. I definitely had a lovely summer at home and was also able to prepare optimally for the coming season. Fortunately, now that I have a professional contract, I can plan my training as I need to while also spending time with my family. That is a great privilege for which I am very grateful.’

What does a summer World Championship feel like for you? Do you see it as an advantage to go into a major event well rested, or do you miss match practice a little?
Anna Meixner: ‘It is what it is; we accept it and make the best of it. Everyone knows the feeling of being back on the ice for the first time after the break and how stiff you feel. We were able to adapt our schedule for the World Championship, which meant we were all already on the ice during preparation.’

Last year, promotion narrowly eluded you. What are the chances of reaching the Top Division this year?
Anna Meixner: ‘We have talked about promotion every year in recent years. This year, we are heading into it with an extremely young group. Some players are new to the senior national team or are playing in a World Championship for the first time. It is good to know that we may not be 100 per cent favourites. That allows us to go into the World Championship without pressure. We certainly have the talent to finish in the top 2 and achieve that. We have the same goal in every game: to win.’

Have any specific objectives been defined?
Anna Meixner: ‘There are personal goals for every season and every tournament, as well as goals you set as a team. That is what you work towards: delivering your best performance in every game.’

Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, China and Slovakia are the opponents. How do you assess this group?
Anna Meixner: ‘Very strong. Most nations have been in this division for years. We are aware of how closely matched this group is. A lot will depend on the day. There have been a few surprises in recent years. I expect the games to be tough.’

You yourself have been playing in Sweden for several years and received a number of honours last season, such as the Golden Helmet for the best player in the regular season. Would it be fair to say that you are in the form of your life?
Anna Meixner: ‘I think so. Last season in particular will stay with me for a long time. I think I am at an age where experience and a certain ease work together perfectly. I am definitely having the time of my life in ice hockey. It is a different world right now. I am doing what I have always dreamed of.’

At 29, you are among the most experienced players in Austria’s World Championship squad. Young talents are coming through. How do you see your role in the national team, on and off the ice?
Anna Meixner: ‘I am aware that I am now a role model for young players in Austria. I fulfil this role with great heart. For me, how you are off the ice has always been important. Treat everyone as you would like to be treated yourself. How we welcome players into the national team is important. It does not matter whether someone has played no World Championships yet or has already played ten. I am convinced that everyone in the current national team feels comfortable. I can still clearly remember what it was like to be in the national team for the first time and how nervous you are. This is exactly where I try to support the players and guide them a little.’

Aside from a possible promotion to the Top Division, is competing at the Olympic Games still your major goal?
Anna Meixner: “Yes, that is the major goal I am still working towards with the national team: the 2026 Olympics. We have many talented players. We are on the right path. The chance is still alive, and the Olympic Games are at the very top of my list.”

Final question: What makes the national team so special to you?
Anna Meixner: “What makes it special for me is that my very best friends have been part of it for ten or eleven years. Seeing the girls feels like home. Being part of the national team is also a source of pride. I travel to Austria every one or two months for a team camp and do it wholeheartedly. It would be nice to be rewarded with promotion.”

2023 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship Division IA

20 August 2023 – 26 August 2023, Shenzhen (CHN)

Schedule
Dates and times are given in our local time zone, with local time shown in brackets.

Friendly – Denmark vs. Austria
Thu, 17 August, 11:15 (17:15 local time)

Austria vs. Norway
Sun, 20 August 2023, 10:30 (16:30 local time)
Live on LIVE.eishockey.at

Denmark vs. Austria
Mon, 21 August 2023, 07:00 (13:00 local time)
Live on LIVE.eishockey.at

Netherlands vs. Austria
Wed, 23 August 2023, 10:30 (16:30 local time)
Live on LIVE.eishockey.at

Austria vs. China
Thu, 24 August 2023, 14:00 (20:00)
Live on ORF SPORT +

Slovakia vs. Austria
Sat, 26 August 2023, 07:00 (13:00)
Live on ORF SPORT +