Outside the paddock in the table tennis hall, the normally calm national team captain Jörgen Persson jumped up with clenched fists in the air. On the inside stood Truls Möregårdh – gaze still. The 22-year-old looked towards the family in the stands, had his hands out to his sides and just… stood. State of shock He made an attempt to take everything in the hall after his semi-final victory against the Brazilian Hugo Calderano, 4–2. But I don’t know if I managed that well, because I even forgot the racket over there, he says, and then describes his condition in one word: “shock state”. I am completely shocked. Totally shocked. I can’t believe it’s true. First Olympics, the path I’ve had and then to be in a final… I didn’t think that when I went here. His journey to the Olympic final has been magnificent – including a victory against the Chinese world number one Wang Chuqin – and created table tennis fever at home in Sweden. In the semi-final against the Brazilian Hugo Calderano came the next triumph. With eight straight ball wins, he turned 4–10 to win the first set 12–10. Others were even – and Blue Yellow. Möregårdh dominated in many duels, played varied and aggressively, but in the end it was the defense that gave the ball to 16–14. He lost third, 7–11, but won fourth with the same numbers. After another lost set, Truls Möregårdh decided in the sixth. With 11–8, he was ready for the Olympic final. Tears Then came the shock. And the tears. The family stood in the stands and cried. Inside the paddock, Möregårdh went and did the same thing. If I had been seeded third it would have been a different matter, then we would have been tagged now. But this comes out of nowhere; for me and for them. That’s probably why all the tears come out. In the final on Sunday, at 2:30 p.m., the Chinese world number four Fan Zhendong awaits, who in his semi-final won against the French great talent Félix Lebrun, 17 years old, in straight sets. Until then, Möregårdh hopes that the feelings have subsided. I hope I’m not (shocked) for too long, because I really want to get a gold medal. And I really believe I can do it. Regardless of the result in the final, he has secured an Olympic medal – which will be Sweden’s first in table tennis since Jan-Ove Waldner’s silver in Sydney 2000.
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