Thomas Kihlström is a former badminton

Badminton

Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...

 player from Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 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.

Kihlström won the 1983 IBF World Championships

1983 IBF World Championships

-Medalists:-Men's singles:-Women's singles:-Men's doubles:-Women's doubles:-Mixed doubles:-Medal table:-External links:* * * * *...

 in mixed doubles with Nora Perry

Nora Perry

Nora Perry is an English former badminton player noted for her anticipation, racket control, and tactical astuteness. A doubles specialist, Perry won numerous major titles, with a variety of partners, from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s. These included six All-England mixed doubles and two...

. He also won 16 medals at the European Championships

European Badminton Championships

The European Badminton Championships is a tournament organized by the Badminton Europe . The first of these competitions was held in 1968. The competition is held once every two years to determine the best badminton players in Europe....

, 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

All England Open Badminton Championships

The All England Open Badminton Championships, or simply All England, is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious badminton tournaments. Played annually, it developed after the success of world's first badminton tournament held in Guildford in 1898...

 men's doubles titles, one with Bengt Fröman

Bengt Fröman

Bengt Fröman is a retired male badminton player of Sweden noted for his doubles play. He won the prestigious All-England men's doubles title in 1976 and the bronze medal at the 1977 IBF World Championships in men's doubles both in partnership with Thomas Kihlstrom.-References:...

 in 1976 and the other with Stefan Karlsson

Stefan Karlsson

Stefan Karlsson, born November 5, 1955, is a retired male badminton player from Sweden. He later changed name to Stefan Mellgård.Though he played Thomas Cup singles for Sweden and won the Swedish national singles title twice, his greatest successes came in doubles...

 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

Swedish National Badminton Championships

The Swedish National Badminton Championships is a tournament organized to crown the best badminton players in Sweden.The tournament started in the season 1936/1937 and is held every year.-Past winners:-References:* at Badminton Europe...

. 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

BWF World Championships

The BWF World Championships is a tournament organized by the Badminton World Federation to crown the best badminton players in the world....

, and is the only man to have won each of these three events at the Japan Open

Japan Open (badminton)

The Japan Open is an annual badminton tournament held in Japan. It became part of the BWF Super Series tournaments in 2007.-Past winners:...

.

Major achievements

Rank	Event	Date	Venue
World Championships
1	Mixed doubles (with Nora Perry Nora Perry Nora Perry is an English former badminton player noted for her anticipation, racket control, and tactical astuteness. A doubles specialist, Perry won numerous major titles, with a variety of partners, from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s. These included six All-England mixed doubles and two... )	1983 1983 IBF World Championships -Medalists:-Men's singles:-Women's singles:-Men's doubles:-Women's doubles:-Mixed doubles:-Medal table:-External links:* * * * *...	Copenhagen, DEN
3 3	Men's singles Men's doubles (with Bengt Fröman Bengt Fröman Bengt Fröman is a retired male badminton player of Sweden noted for his doubles play. He won the prestigious All-England men's doubles title in 1976 and the bronze medal at the 1977 IBF World Championships in men's doubles both in partnership with Thomas Kihlstrom.-References:... )	1977 1977 IBF World Championships -Medalists:- Men's singles :- Women's singles :- Men's doubles :- Women's doubles :- Mixed doubles :-Medal account:-External links:* *...	Malmö, SWE
European Championships European Badminton Championships The European Badminton Championships is a tournament organized by the Badminton Europe . The first of these competitions was held in 1968. The competition is held once every two years to determine the best badminton players in Europe....
1	Men's doubles	1982 1982 European Badminton Championships The 8th European Badminton Championships were held in Böblingen, West Germany, between 13 and 18 April 1982, and hosted by the European Badminton Union and Deutscher Badminton-Verband e.V..-Medalists:-Men's singles:-Women's singles:...	Böblingen, FRG
2	Men's singles	1974 1974 European Badminton Championships The 4th European Badminton Championships were held in Vienna , between 18 and 20 April 1974, and hosted by the European Badminton Union and the Österreichischer Badminton Verband.-Medalists:-Medal account:-References:...	Vienna, AUT
2 2	Men's singles Men's doubles	1978 1978 European Badminton Championships The 6th European Badminton Championships were held in Preston , between 13 April and 15 April 1978, and hosted by the European Badminton Union and the Badminton England.-Medalists:-Medal account:-References:...	Preston, ENG
2	Men's doubles	1980 1980 European Badminton Championships The 7th European Badminton Championships were held in Groningen , between 17 and 20 April 1980, and hosted by the European Badminton Union and the Nederlandse Badminton Bond.-Medalists:-Medal account:-References:...	Groningen, NED
2	Mixed doubles	1984 1984 European Badminton Championships The 9th European Badminton Championships were held in Preston, England, between 8 and 14 April 1984, and hosted by the European Badminton Union and Badminton England.-Medalists:-Medal account:-References:...	Preston, ENG
2	Men's doubles	1986 1986 European Badminton Championships The 10th European Badminton Championships were held in Uppsala, Sweden, between 30 March and 5 April 1986, and hosted by the European Badminton Union and the Svenska Badmintonförbundet.-Medalists:-Medal account:-References:...	Uppsala, SWE
3	Men's doubles	1976 1976 European Badminton Championships The 5th European Badminton Championships were held in Dublin, Ireland, between 6 and 7 April 1976, and hosted by the European Badminton Union and the Badminton Union of Ireland.-Medalists:-Medal account:-References:...	Dublin, IRE
3	Mixed doubles	1986 1986 European Badminton Championships The 10th European Badminton Championships were held in Uppsala, Sweden, between 30 March and 5 April 1986, and hosted by the European Badminton Union and the Svenska Badmintonförbundet.-Medalists:-Medal account:-References:...	Uppsala, SWE