Thomas Kihlström


Thomas Kihlström 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.

Career

Kihlström won the 1983 IBF World Championships in mixed doubles with Nora Perry. 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. 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
YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
1977Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden Svend Pri6–15, 6–15 Bronze

Men's doubles
YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1977Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden Bengt Fröman Tjun Tjun
Johan Wahjudi
7–15, 11–15 Bronze

World Games

Men's doubles
YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1981San Jose Civic Auditorium, California, United States Stefan Karlsson Sun Zhian
Yao Ximing
15–12, 4–15, 6–15 Silver

European Championships

Men's singles
YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
1974Vienna, Austria Sture Johnsson Silver
1978Preston, England Flemming Delfs Silver

IBF World Grand Prix

The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation from 1983 to 2006.
Men's doubles
YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult
1983Swedish Open Stefan Karlsson Steen Fladberg
Jesper Helledie
15–4, 13–15, 10–15 Runner-up
1983All England Open Stefan Karlsson Martin Dew
Mike Tredgett
15–10, 15–13 Winner
1984Chinese Taipei Open Stefan Karlsson Steen Fladberg
Jesper Helledie
15–3, 15–6 Winner
1984Japan Open Stefan Karlsson Martin Dew
Steve Baddeley
15–6, 15–6 Winner
1984Swedish Open Stefan Karlsson Kim Moon-soo
Park Joo-bong
8–15, 15–10, 8–15 Runner-up
1985Swedish Open Stefan Karlsson Li Yongbo
Di Qiqing
12–15, 18–14, 15–18 Runner-up