Mar 02, 2001 05:23 PM
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Ask someone who doesn't play Table Tennis ''Who is Jan-Ove Waldner?'' and you are sure to get a negative reply. But ask the same question to someone who plays serious Table Tennis or is a serious Table Tennis fan, and the answer you will receive is ''King Kong of Ping Pong''
Yes, Jan-Ove Waldner is one of the most successful and most talented players to ever play the game.And not only this, even today, after attaining the age of 35, he is a force to reckon with in the International Table Tennis Arena.
Jan-Ove Waldner has to his credit an Olympic Gold Medal, 5 World Championships, 2 World Cups, 9 European Championships and he has also been the winner at 7 Top-12 Tournaments.Apart from the individual achievements, Waldner was one of the key players who helped Sweden overcome the Chinese dominance on the game of Table Tennis. Waldner teamed up with Jorgen Persson and Mikael Applegren to give Sweden its first World Team Championship after beating the Chinese paddlers in the final.
Waldner is a national hero in Sweden and every time he steps into the Table Tennis court, people expect him to win. Isn't it something similar to what Sachin Tendulkar enjoys out here in India???