Jan Ove Waldner Biography - Pride And Prejudice, Guerrilla Foreman, One Last Time, Chronology, Awards And Accomplishments, Where Is He Now?
sport table age tennis world tournament recognized parents
1965-
Swedish table tennis player
Jan Ove Waldner has been called the "Mozart of table tennis" because of his ability to play many different compositions on the table. If not Mozart, Waldner is certainly the Michael Jordan of his sport. His domination and nearly mythical status among the sport's players and fans is unprecedented in the history of the game. Although table tennis doesn't enjoy the respect reserved for the world's more recognized sports, Waldner, in countries that take the sport seriously, is widely recognized as the best player of all time. He is one of two players in the sport's history to win all three major titles—at the World Championships, the Olympics and the World Cup. He is also known for possessing the finest serve technique in the European game.
Born October 3, 1965 in Stockholm, Sweden, Waldner quickly became interested in the sport to which he would ultimately devote his life. At the age of six, he asked his parents if he and his brother could participate in a small local tournament. With the encouragement of his parents, Waldner would go on from there to become the Swedish champion for his age group by the time he was nine years old. He turned professional at the age of fifteen and won his first tournament, and a Porsche, at the age of sixteen.
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While Waldner enjoys a faithful fan base in Sweden, table tennis hasn't been given the respect its players and fans believe it deserves. In China, the sport's other powerhouse, the sport is played by the masses. The Chinese play in clubs and schools and even on cement slabs in the park. In the United States, however, the game is largely recreational and usually called Ping-Pong, a na…
Waldner was given the nickname "Guerrilla Foreman" by his Chinese counterparts because of his domination and growing reputation. Going into the 1992 Olympic Games, Waldner had already achieved an astonishing amount at a very young age but was about to compete on a much more visible stage. Every year at the Olympics, fans of table tennis hope that their adopted sport will catch on wit…
Waldner returned again to the Olympic stage in 2000. After announcing that it would be his last Olympic appearance, he faced an emotional battle in the semi-finals with the gold medallist from the 1996 Olympics. Waldner, at the age of thirty-four, outlasted the reigning champion, China's Liu Guoliang, but eventually succumbed to top seeded Kong Linghui in the finals. "I lost because …
Berlin, Peter. "Kong Holds Off Swedish Rival As Chinese Sweep Gold Medals." International Herald Tribune (September 26, 2000): 26. Corwin, Michael. "A 'Racquet' Heard 'Round The World." Parks & Recreation (September 2000): 31. Ford, Bob. "Table Tennis Players Want Their Sport To Come Out Of The Basement." Philadelphia Inquirer (…
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