Möregårdh on the silver: "The biggest thing that's going to happen"

Stellan Bengtsson's World Championship gold in 1971. Team gold in the World Championship 1989. J-O Waldner's Olympic Games triumph in 1992.

Three classic Swedish sports moments in table tennis. Truls Möregårdh's Olympic Games silver in Paris falls somewhere in the cracks, not least after he defeated the Chinese world number one Wang Chuqin on the way.

Not even this time could he beat the other Chinese, superstar Fan Zhendong, who defeated Möregårdh in the World Championship final in 2021. Fan won the Olympic Games final with 4–1 in sets (7–11, 11–9, 11–9, 11–9, 11–8).

It's crazy to stand here with a silver medal, says Truls Möregårdh without releasing his grip on his newly won Olympic medal.

And I think I deserve to have that feeling after this match. I can't do much better.

The 22-year-old table tennis talent from Småland's Hovmantorp has delivered one of the biggest Swedish performances, even if it didn't go all the way.

Lured out a smile

The point up to 3–9 in the fifth set – when the Swede had basically given up – said so much. Möregårdh lured his opponent with a high stop ball with spin – a "snake" – which made the stony-faced Fan smile for the first time in the match.

It was delicious, it will become a classic, says national team captain Jörgen Persson.

Truls Möregårdh agrees. It's not often that the Chinese let their guard down, he adds.

Very rarely. Fun that he offered it. It's one of the sickest shots that has happened in pingis history in such matches, says Möregårdh.

The Swede stretched out his arms to the audience, put on his broadest smile, and received an enormous cheer from the stands.

Fan Zhendong then went up to 10–3 and seven match points. Möregårdh, who had saved an incredible 21 set points on the way to the final, saved five of them before a masterful backhand secured another Chinese table tennis gold.

Hell, we're playing. If this didn't make the whole Swedish people love table tennis, I don't know what you should do, says Möregårdh.

Took the first set

He won the first set with 11–7. Then the Chinese woke up and won two tight sets, both with 11–9. Fan took home most of the really thrilling balls, which decided the match.

So also in the fourth set, where the ball that gave 7–3 to Fan was of the rougher kind. Möregårdh also lost that set with 9–11.

Already on Monday morning, the Olympic Games continue for Möregårdh. Then Sweden enters the team competition, with an eighth-final match against Denmark at 10.00. But he's not going to skip the silver celebration for that.

I don't know how much I can sleep tonight, and my body is completely dead. I hope no one has expectations that I'll be as good there. But if I don't celebrate this with my family and all who support me, I'll regret it.

Olympic Games 2024: Truls Möregårdh, silver

World Championship 2021: Truls Möregårdh, silver.

World Championship 2019: Mattias Falck, silver.

Olympic Games 2000: Jan-Ove Waldner, bronze.

World Championship 1999: Jan-Ove Waldner, bronze.

World Championship 1997: Jan-Ove Waldner, gold.

World Championship 1993: Jan-Ove Waldner, bronze.

Olympic Games 1992: Jan-Ove Waldner, gold.

World Championship 1991: Jörgen Persson, gold, Jan-Ove Waldner, silver.

World Championship 1989: Jan-Ove Waldner, gold, Jörgen Persson, silver.

Olympic Games 1988: Erik Lindh, bronze.

World Championship 1987: Jan-Ove Waldner, silver.