Thomas Kihlström
Thomas Kihlström (born 11 December 1948) is a former badminton player from Sweden known for his agility, tactical astuteness, and coolness under pressure. Though an impressive singles player early in his career, his greatest successes came in doubles.
Thomas Kihlström | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Country | Sweden | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | 11 December 1948 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Handedness | Right | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Career
Kihlström won the 1983 IBF World Championships in mixed doubles with Nora Perry.[1] He also won 16 medals at the European Championships, two of them in men's singles, two in mixed doubles, five in men's doubles and 7 in team competition. He shared two All-England men's doubles titles, one with Bengt Fröman in 1976 and the other with Stefan Karlsson in 1983. He also shared the All-England mixed doubles title with Nora Perry in 1983.[2] From 1973 to 1988 Kihlström captured a total of twenty-four events at the Swedish National Championships. Kihlström competed during an era in which world class badminton became increasingly event-specialized. His skill as an "all-arounder" is demonstrated by the facts that he is the only player to have won medals in all three events, men's singles, men's doubles, and mixed doubles at the BWF World Championships, and is the only man to have won each of these three events at the Japan Open.
Achievements
World Championships
Men's singles
Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1977 | Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden | ![]() |
6–15, 6–15 | ![]() |
Men's doubles
Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1977 | Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden | ![]() |
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7–15, 11–15 | ![]() |
Mixed doubles
Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1983 | Brøndbyhallen, Copenhagen, Denmark | ![]() |
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15–1, 15–11 | ![]() |
World Cup
Mixed doubles
Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1983 | Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | ![]() |
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15–12, 10–15, 4–15 | ![]() |
1984 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia | ![]() |
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15–18, 15–13, 15–8 | ![]() |
1986 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia | ![]() |
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4–15, 15–8, 7–15 | ![]() |
World Games
Men's doubles
Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1981 | San Jose Civic Auditorium, California, United States | ![]() |
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15–12, 4–15, 6–15 | ![]() |
Mixed doubles
Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1981 | San Jose Civic Auditorium, California, United States | ![]() |
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15–6, 18–14 | ![]() |
European Championships
Men's singles
Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1974 | Vienna, Austria | ![]() |
7–15, 8–15 | ![]() |
1978 | Preston, England | ![]() |
15–10, 6–15, 12–15 | ![]() |
Men's doubles
Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1976 | Dublin, Ireland | ![]() |
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1978 | Preston, England | ![]() |
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6–15, 5–15 | ![]() |
1980 | Groningen, Netherlands | ![]() |
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16–18, 15–9, 13–15 | ![]() |
1982 | Böblingen, West Germany | ![]() |
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15–9, 15–3 | ![]() |
1986 | Uppsala, Sweden | ![]() |
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12–15, 17–18 | ![]() |
Mixed doubles
Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1984 | Preston Guild Hall, Preston, England | ![]() |
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5–15, 15–17 | ![]() |
1986 | Uppsala, Sweden | ![]() |
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International tournaments
Men's singles
Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1972 | Norwegian International | ![]() |
15–7, 15–4 | ![]() |
1973 | USSR International | ![]() |
10–15, 15–4, 8–15 | ![]() |
1973 | Norwegian International | ![]() |
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1976 | U.S. Open | ![]() |
14–17, 10–15 | ![]() |
1977 | Canada Open | ![]() |
15–12, 7–15, 10–15 | ![]() |
1977 | Japan Open | ![]() |
9–15, 15–13, 15–10 | ![]() |
1978 | Denmark Open | ![]() |
15–8, 9–15, 7–15 | ![]() |
1978 | Canada Open | ![]() |
17–14, 11–15, 16–18 | ![]() |
1980 | Norwegian International | ![]() |
15–0, 15–11 | ![]() |
1980 | Victor Cup | ![]() |
15–7, 15–10 | ![]() |
1980 | Nordic Championships | ![]() |
4–15, 7–15 | ![]() |
1981 | Canada Open | ![]() |
16–17, 12–15 | ![]() |
Men's doubles
Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1971 | Norwegian International | ![]() |
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15–12, 15–9 | ![]() |
1972 | Norwegian International | ![]() |
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14–18, 13–18 | ![]() |
1973 | USSR International | ![]() |
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15–13, 15–10 | ![]() |
1973 | Norwegian International | ![]() |
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1975 | German Open | ![]() |
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15–13, 15–5 | ![]() |
1975 | Norwegian International | ![]() |
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1976 | German Open | ![]() |
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1976 | All England Open | ![]() |
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15–12, 17–15 | ![]() |
1976 | U.S. Open | ![]() |
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15–18, 12–15 | ![]() |
1977 | German Open | ![]() |
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1977 | Denmark Open | ![]() |
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15–6, 15–8 | ![]() |
1977 | Canada Open | ![]() |
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16–17, 15–11, 15–10 | ![]() |
1978 | Swedish Open | ![]() |
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18–15, 9–15, 8–15 | ![]() |
1978 | Nordic Championships | ![]() |
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1978 | Canada Open | ![]() |
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9–15, 15–10; retired | ![]() |
1979 | English Masters | ![]() |
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18–16, 15–9 | ![]() |
1979 | Polish International | ![]() |
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15–3, 15–13 | ![]() |
1980 | Swedish Open | ![]() |
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5–15, 15–12, 9–15 | ![]() |
1980 | English Masters | ![]() |
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12–15, 12–15 | ![]() |
1980 | Norwegian International | ![]() |
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15–7, 15–11 | ![]() |
1980 | Victor Cup | ![]() |
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15–5, 18–17 | ![]() |
1981 | Copenhagen Cup | ![]() |
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15–10, 12–15, 17–15 | ![]() |
1981 | Swedish Open | ![]() |
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15–6, 15–4 | ![]() |
1981 | English Masters | ![]() |
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9–15, 15–2, 10–15 | ![]() |
1981 | Canada Open | ![]() |
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15–8, 15–11 | ![]() |
1981 | India Open | ![]() |
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6–15, 15–8, 17–15 | ![]() |
1982 | Swedish Open | ![]() |
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11–15, 8–15 | ![]() |
1982 | Scandinavian Cup | ![]() |
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15–13, 13–15, 15–10 | ![]() |
1983 | Chinese Taipei Open | ![]() |
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9–15, 11–15 | ![]() |
1983 | Japan Open | ![]() |
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1983 | Swedish Open | ![]() |
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15–4, 13–15, 10–15 | ![]() |
1983 | All England Open | ![]() |
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15–10, 15–13 | ![]() |
1983 | English Masters | ![]() |
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12–15, 15–8, 15–11 | ![]() |
1984 | Chinese Taipei Open | ![]() |
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15–3, 15–6 | ![]() |
1984 | Japan Open | ![]() |
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15–6, 15–6 | ![]() |
1984 | Swedish Open | ![]() |
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8–15, 15–10, 8–15 | ![]() |
1984 | Nordic Championships | ![]() |
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15–11, 14–18, 18–14 | ![]() |
1985 | Swedish Open | ![]() |
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12–15, 18–14, 15–18 | ![]() |
Mixed doubles
Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1976 | U.S. Open | ![]() |
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6–15, 15–10, 12–15 | ![]() |
1981 | Dutch Open | ![]() |
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15–12, 15–6 | ![]() |
1981 | Canada Open | ![]() |
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12–15, 15–6, 15–0 | ![]() |
1982 | Denmark Open | ![]() |
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15–11, 15–9 | ![]() |
1982 | Victor Cup | ![]() |
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9–15, 15–9, 15–9 | ![]() |
1982 | Scandinavian Cup | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
18–15, 15–12 | ![]() |
1982 | Nordic Championships | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–15, 10–15 | ![]() |
1983 | Japan Open | ![]() |
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15–5, 15–2 | ![]() |
1983 | Swedish Open | ![]() |
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15–7, 15–1 | ![]() |
1983 | All England Open | ![]() |
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18–16, 11–15, 15–6 | ![]() |
1985 | Swedish Open | ![]() |
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15–5, 11–15, 15–7 | ![]() |
1985 | All England Open | ![]() |
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10–15, 12–15 | ![]() |
1985 | Malaysia Masters | ![]() |
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1986 | World Grand Prix Finals | ![]() |
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15–8, 4–15, 8–15 | ![]() |
References
- Pat Davis, The Guinness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England: Guinness Superlatives Ltd., 1983) 111.
- Davis, 107, 108.