Thomas Kihlström (born 11 December 1948) is a Swedish retired badminton player known for his agility and tactical astuteness. Though an impressive singles player early in his career, his greatest successes came in men's doubles in partnership with Bengt Fröman and Stefan Karlsson and in mixed doubles with a variety of partners.
Career Kihlström won the 1983 IBF World Championships in mixed doubles with Nora Perry.Pat Davis, The Guinness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England: Guinness Superlatives Ltd., 1983) 111. 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.Davis, 107, 108. 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 Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1977 Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden Svend Pri 6–15, 6–15 Bronze
Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1977 Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden Bengt Fröman Tjun Tjun Johan Wahjudi 7–15, 11–15 Bronze
Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1983 Brøndbyhallen, Copenhagen, Denmark Nora Perry Steen Fladberg Pia Nielsen 15–1, 15–11 Gold
World Cup Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1983 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Karen Chapman Christian Hadinata Ivana Lie 15–12, 10–15, 4–15 Bronze 1984 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Nora Perry Christian Hadinata Ivana Lie 15–18, 15–13, 15–8 Gold 1986Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Christine Magnusson Steen Fladberg Gillian Clark 4–15, 15–8, 7–15 Bronze
World Games Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1981 San Jose Civic Auditorium, California, United States Stefan Karlsson Sun Zhian Yao Ximing 15–12, 4–15, 6–15 Silver
Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1981 San Jose Civic Auditorium, California, United States Gillian Gilks Mike Tredgett Nora Perry 15–6, 18–14 Gold
European Championships Men's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1974 Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria Sture Johnsson 7–15, 8–15 Silver 1978Guild Hall, Preston, England Flemming Delfs 15–10, 6–15, 12–15 Silver
Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1976 Fitzwilliam Club, Dublin, Ireland Bengt Fröman Eddy Sutton Derek Talbot 13–15, 9–15 Bronze 1978 Guild Hall, Preston, England Bengt Fröman Ray Stevens Mike Tredgett 6–15, 5–15 Silver 1980 Martinihal, Groningen, Netherlands Bengt Fröman Stefan Karlsson Claes Nordin 16–18, 15–9, 13–15 Silver 1982 Sporthalle, Böblingen, West Germany Stefan Karlsson Mike Tredgett Martin Dew 15–9, 15–3 Gold 1986 Fyrishallen, Uppsala, Sweden Stefan Karlsson Steen Fladberg Jesper Helledie 12–15, 17–18 Silver
Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1984 Guild Hall, Preston, England Maria Bengtsson Martin Dew Gillian Gilks 5–15, 15–17 Silver 1986 Fyrishallen, Uppsala, Sweden Maria Bengtsson Martin Dew Gillian Gilks 8–15, 8–15 Bronze
IBF World Grand Prix The World Badminton Grand Prix was sanctioned by the International Badminton Federation from 1983 to 2006.
Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1983 Swedish Open Stefan Karlsson Steen Fladberg Jesper Helledie 15–4, 13–15, 10–15 Runner-up 1983 All England Open Stefan Karlsson Martin Dew Mike Tredgett 15–10, 15–13 Winner 1984 Chinese Taipei Open Stefan Karlsson Steen Fladberg Jesper Helledie 15–3, 15–6 Winner 1984 Japan Open Stefan Karlsson Martin Dew Steve Baddeley 15–6, 15–6 Winner 1984 Swedish Open Stefan Karlsson Kim Moon-soo Park Joo-bong 8–15, 15–10, 8–15 Runner-up 1985 Swedish Open Stefan Karlsson Ding Qiqing Li Yongbo 12–15, 18–14, 15–18 Runner-up
Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result1983 Swedish Open Nora Perry Dipak Tailor Barbara Sutton 15–7, 15–1 Winner1983 All England Open Nora Perry Steen Skovgaard Anne Skovgaard 18–16, 11–15, 15–6 Winner1985 Swedish Open Maria Bengtsson Lee Deuk-choon Chung Myung-hee 15–5, 11–15, 15–7 Winner1985 All England Open Gillian Clark Billy Gilliland Nora Perry 10–15, 12–15 Runner-up 1986 World Grand Prix Finals Christine Magnusson Nigel Tier Gillian Gowers 15–8, 4–15, 8–15 Runner-up
International tournaments Men's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result1972 Nordic Championships Sture Johnsson 3–15, 14–17 Runner-up1972 Norwegian International Petter Thoresen 15–7, 15–4 Winner1973 USSR International Wolfgang Bochow 10–15, 15–4, 8–15 Runner-up1973 Norwegian International Elo Hansen 10–15, 8–15 Runner-up1975 Mexican Open Sture Johnsson 6–15, 15–11, 15–11 Winner1976 U.S. Open Paul Whetnall 14–17, 10–15 Runner-up1977 Canada Open Flemming Delfs 15–12, 7–15, 10–15 Runner-up1977 Japan Open Flemming Delfs 9–15, 15–13, 15–10 Winner1977 Nordic Championships Flemming Delfs 10–15, 15–9, 13–15 Runner-up1978 Denmark Open Liem Swie King 15–8, 9–15, 7–15 Runner-up1978 Canada Open Flemming Delfs 17–14, 11–15, 16–18 Runner-up1980 Norwegian International Kenneth Larsen 15–0, 15–11 Winner1980 Victor Cup Flemming Delfs 15–7, 15–10 Winner1980 Nordic Championships Morten Frost 4–15, 7–15 Runner-up1981 Canada Open Nick Yates 16–17, 12–15 Runner-up
Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result1971 Norwegian International Kurt Johnsson Bengt Fröman Sture Johnsson 15–12, 15–9 Winner1972 Norwegian International Bengt Fröman Klaus Kaagaard Per Walsøe 14–18, 13–18 Runner-up1973 USSR International Bengt Fröman Wolfgang Bochow Roland Maywald 15–13, 15–10 Winner1973 Norwegian International Bengt Fröman Fraser Gow Robert McCoig 7–15, 18–15, 15–18 Winner1975 German Open Bengt Fröman David Eddy Eddy Sutton 15–13, 15–5 Winner1975 Norwegian International Bengt Fröman Flemming Delfs Elo Hansen 15–5, 5–15, 17–18 Runner-up1975 Nordic Championships Bengt Fröman Flemming Delfs Elo Hansen 15–9, 15–2 Winner1975 Mexican Open Sture Johnsson Flemming Delfs Elo Hansen 15–11, 13–15, 5–15 Runner-up1976 German Open Bengt Fröman Ray Stevens Mike Tredgett 17–15, 17–15 Winner1976 All England Open Bengt Fröman Svend Pri Steen Skovgaard 15–12, 17–15 Winner1976 Norwegian International Bengt Fröman Flemming Delfs Elo Hansen 15–6, 15–12 Winner1976 Nordic Championships Bengt Fröman Svend Pri Steen Skovgaard 15–10, 15–1 Winner1976 U.S. Open Bengt Fröman Willi Braun Roland Maywald 15–18, 12–15 Runner-up1977 Swedish Open Bengt Fröman Ade Chandra Tjun Tjun 18–17, 16–17, 11–15 Runner-up1977 German Open Bengt Fröman Gert Hansen Steen Skovgaard 15–12, 15–9 Winner1977 Denmark Open Bengt Fröman Flemming Delfs Steen Skovgaard 15–6, 15–8 Winner1977 Canada Open Bengt Fröman Eddy Sutton Derek Talbot 16–17, 15–11, 15–10 Winner1977 Nordic Championships Bengt Fröman Flemming Delfs Steen Skovgaard 4–15, 15–12, 15–12 Winner1978 Swedish Open Bengt Fröman Flemming Delfs Steen Skovgaard 18–15, 9–15, 8–15 Runner-up1978 Nordic Championships Bengt Fröman Flemming Delfs Steen Skovgaard 5–15, 9–15 Runner-up1978 Canada Open Bengt Fröman Flemming Delfs Steen Skovgaard 9–15, 15–10 retired Winner1979 English Masters Bengt Fröman Ray Stevens Mike Tredgett 18–16, 15–9 Winner1979 Nordic Championships Bengt Fröman Flemming Delfs Steen Skovgaard 13–15, 15–11, 17–14 Winner1979 Polish International Tor Sundberg Michal Malý Juraj Lenart 15–3, 15–13 Winner1980 Swedish Open Bengt Fröman Ade Chandra Christian Hadinata 5–15, 15–12, 9–15 Runner-up1980 English Masters Stefan Karlsson Ade Chandra Christian Hadinata 12–15, 12–15 Runner-up1980 Norwegian International Lars Wengberg Peter Holm Hans Olaf Birkholm 15–7, 15–11 Winner1980 Victor Cup Claes Nordin Flemming Delfs Steen Skovgaard 15–5, 18–17 Winner1981 Copenhagen Cup Stefan Karlsson Rudy Heryanto Kartono 15–10, 12–15, 17–15 Winner1981 Swedish Open Stefan Karlsson Bobby Ertanto Hadibowo 15–6, 15–4 Winner1981 English Masters Stefan Karlsson Martin Dew Mike Tredgett 9–15, 15–2, 10–15 Runner-up1981 Canada Open Ray Stevens Steve Baddeley Martin Dew 15–8, 15–11 Winner1981 India Open Stefan Karlsson Rudy Heryanto Kartono 6–15, 15–8, 17–15 Winner1982 Swedish Open Stefan Karlsson Christian Hadinata Lius Pongoh 11–15, 8–15 Runner-up1982 India Open Stefan Karlsson Park Joo-bong Lee Eun-ku 15–10, 15–12 Winner1982 Scandinavian Cup Stefan Karlsson Steen Fladberg Steen Skovgaard 15–13, 13–15, 15–10 Winner1983 Chinese Taipei Open Stefan Karlsson Bobby Ertanto Hadibowo 9–15, 11–15 Runner-up1983 Japan Open Stefan Karlsson Rudy Heryanto Razif Sidek 18–14, 6–15, 15–6 Winner1983 English Masters Stefan Karlsson Rudy Heryanto Kartono 12–15, 15–8, 15–11 Winner1983 Nordic Championships Stefan Karlsson Morten Frost Jens Peter Nierhoff 15–12, 17–15 Winner1984 Nordic Championships Stefan Karlsson Mark Christiansen Michael Kjeldsen 15–11, 14–18, 18–14 Winner1985 Nordic Championships Stefan Karlsson Mark Christiansen Michael Kjeldsen 15–6, 15–6 Winner
Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result1975 Mexican Open Judianne Kelly Sture Johnsson Ofelia de Telge 15–9, 15–8 Winner1976 U.S. Open Pam Brady David Eddy Susan Whetnall 6–15, 15–10, 12–15 Runner-up1981 Dutch Open Gillian Gilks Mike Tredgett Nora Perry 15–12, 15–6 Winner1981 Canada Open Gillian Gilks Ray Stevens Nora Perry 12–15, 15–6, 15–0 Winner1982 Denmark Open Nora Perry Martin Dew Gillian Gilks 15–11, 15–9 Winner1982 Victor Cup Nora Perry Martin Dew Gillian Gilks 9–15, 15–9, 15–9 Winner1982 Scandinavian Cup Nora Perry Steen Fladberg Pia Nielsen 18–15, 15–12 Winner1982 Nordic Championships Maria Bengtsson Steen Skovgaard Hanne Adsbøl 6–15, 10–15 Runner-up1982 India Open Jane Webster Billy Gilliland Karen Chapman 14–18, 11–15 Runner-up1983 Japan Open Nora Perry Martin Dew Jane Webster 15–5, 15–2 Winner1983 Nordic Championships Maria Bengtsson Steen Fladberg Grete Mogensen 15–2, 9–15, 15–5 Winner 1985 Malaysia Master Christine Magnusson Steen Fladberg Nora Perry 9–15, 5–15 Runner-up Martin Dew Gillian Gilks 17–15, 15–12 Stefan Karlsson Maria Bengtsson 15–10, 9–15, 10–151985 Nordic Championships Christine Magnusson Stefan Karlsson Maria Bengtsson 9–15, 7–15 Runner-up
References