When the former beach volleyball duo Simon Dahl and Björn Berg made their breakthrough in the 1990s, the structure surrounding the teams looked completely different.
There were not many countries that had a coach with them back then. You traveled out as a team and played. It was very much individual responsibility, says Simon Dahl, who is now the Secretary General of the Swedish Volleyball Association.
"Will be the future"
The sport was included in the Olympic Games program in 1996 and Dahl/Berg made two Olympic Games together (2000 and 2004).
Now there is a completely different level of professionalism in beach volleyball than 25 years ago, says Dahl.
For several years, Sweden has made a major investment in the men's national team. Anders Kristiansson and Rasmus Jonsson are employed full-time by the association as coaches.
This will be the future and several national teams in Europe are working in this way. That's why Europe has surpassed the USA and Brazil in the world rankings, says Anders Kristiansson.
Last summer, the investment paid off when the then world-set David Åhman, 23, and Jonatan Hellvig, 23, won Olympic gold in the sand in Paris.
A duo that has been paired together. Åhman was 14 years old when Jonsson discovered him. Two years later, in 2018, he found the perfect partner in Hellvig.
It's the association that decides who we should train. It's not a private company where Jonatan and David could say they change coaches whenever they want, says Kristiansson.
Elmer Andersson, 18, and Jacob Hölting Nilsson, 20, have also been paired together and have competed internationally since last year. The duo has several wins at a lower world tour level, but has also managed to qualify for two tournaments at the elite level.
Train together
Kristiansson is, however, cautious about the expectations for the new pair.
It doesn't mean we can expect two teams in the next Olympic Games. It's easy to get ahead of events. I don't think you do Elmer and Jacob a favor by saying that now.
The two Swedish pairs often train together in Huddinge, where there are plans for both indoor and outdoor facilities.
Now David and Jonatan have someone to train against at home in Sweden. They didn't have that before, and it has helped them a lot. And Jacob and Elmer can really benefit from training against someone who is better, says Anders Kristiansson.
Daniel Kihlström/TT
Facts: Men's national teams in beach volleyball
TT
+ David Åhman, 23, and Jonatan Hellvig, 23
World ranking: 3.
Main merits as a team: Olympic gold 2024, European Championship gold 2023 and 2022, World Championship silver 2023, winners of the World Tour final 2023, ten wins at the World Tour's elite level.
Other: Named team of the year at the Sports Gala 2024 and 2025.
+ Jacob Hölting Nilsson, 20, and Elmer Andersson, 18.
World ranking: 16.
Main merits as a team: Gold at the U22 European Championship 2024, two wins at the challenge level and two wins at the futures level on the World Tour during 2024-2025.
Other: Hölting Nilsson has been part of the Swedish Olympic Committee's top and talent program since January 2023 - Andersson became part of the program in January 2024.
