This is the first time that a Swedish teenager has won a medal at the World Table Tennis Championships since Stellan Bengtsson won gold in Nagoya in 1971. And Truls Möregårdh secured it with Stellan Bengtsson as coach.
In the quarterfinals against Quadri Aruna, ranked 17th in the world, there was a noticeably tense Swede at the table.
Möregårdh saved three set balls in the first set which he took with 13-11.
Relaxed, the Swede got 2-0 in sets before the 33-year-old, with the unusual color green on one side of the racket to pay tribute to his native Nigeria, reduced the entire 11-2.
But Möregårdh shook off the set loss and won the following with almost equal numbers.
3-1 in sets to the Swede, who ended up in a points deficit, but caught up and saved a set ball.
Möregårdh served up to two match balls, but Aruna handled both.
Against German veteran in the semifinals
Möregårdh pressed, but with the help of American-adapted cheers, he used his finesse and took the lead with 10-7.
No missed match ball this time, and after Aruna missed, Möregårdh lay on the ground, shocked by the success.
In the World Cup semi-final, he will face German veteran Timo Boll, the 40-year-old with eight European Championship golds and a World Cup bronze in men's singles.
Sweden has at least bronze in the men's doubles, Mattias Falck and Kristian Karlsson sensationally beat Chinese Fan Zhendong and Wang Chuqin in the fifth and decisive set.
The Swedish duo now meet top-seeded Lin Gaoyuan and Liang Jingkun, China.