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SCMP Reporter

SWEDEN reinforced its reputation as a men's table tennis power when Olympic champion Jan-Ove Waldner clinched the last game, and his country its third world tile in a row in Gothenburg last month.

     Sweden toppled China 3-1 in a pulsating world championship final, Waldner bouncing back after losing the second rubber to Ma Wenge by beating Wang Hao in the fourth to secure the crown.

    Emerging star Peter Karlsson, who put the Swedes ahead, and world singles champion Jorgen Persson, who gave them a 2-1 lead, were the other heroes of a triumph which sent the home spectators into wild celebrations.

    Sweden, whose rise to power in the men's game started when they won the world team title in 1989 and 1991, has ended a long spell of supremacy by China, who lifted the crown six times between 1975 and 1987.

    Karlsson gave Sweden an early boost when he took the first rubber against China's leading defensive player, Wang Hao, 13-21, 21-19, 21-16.

    Persson, who was concerned about his form, pulled off a 26-24, 16-21, 21-16 victory over Wang Tao in the crucial third rubber.

    Waldner showed the resolve that had marked some of his earlier performances as he beat Hao 21-16, 17-21, 21-13 in the fourth rubber.

    In the eyes of the world, Sweden's most famous sporting star is still Bjorn Borg - five-time winner of Wimbledon.

    Stefan Edberg, former world number one and two-times Wimbledon champion is now world number three, while former champion Mats Wilander, now plays little Grand Slam tennis.

   Both these stars played major roles in Sweden's Davis Cup domination which lasted for much of the 1980s.

    They won it first in 1975, again in 1984, 1985 and 1987 and lost in the finals in 1983, 1986, 1988 and 1989.

     Another great from the past, who has led a field of top Swedish skiing stars, is Ingemar Stenmark, the master downhill slalom expert.

     Sweden has been world-beaters in golf and ice hockey.

. In soccer, Swedish clubs have excelled at European club level, with Gothenburg winning the UEFA Cup in 1982.

  Malmo reached the European Cup final in 1979, only to lose to England's Nottingham Forest.

    Last year, the country hosted the European Championship finals - won surprisingly by Scandinavian neighbours Denmark.



Champions make it three in a row