Jörgen Persson made his last Olympic appearance as an active in the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. In Tokyo 2021 there is much to say that the icon makes his first Olympic Games as the national team. Something Aftonbladet was first to report on.
- We are a strong Olympic candidate to take a medal on the men's side. We have to be very far ahead in our planning. We owe it to our men's national team, above all, who have a huge chance at a possible Olympic event, if it is to come next year.
How far are you apart?
- I hope for a solution this week or next week.
- It's like a table tennis match. You send the ball over the other side, and you get a hard smash back. It is a special place for sports right now. It is small details practical and technical how to proceed, in this situation we have right now.
Jörgen Persson started in a player development role in connection with the World Cup in Budapest in 2019. He then coached Mattias Falck successfully to the World Cup silver. He has worked with the current federation captain Peter Blomqvist on the way to the Tokyo Olympics. Now his role is being strengthened.
- For Jörgen, this does not mean any dramatic changes, more than he becomes a first name on the coach side.
Jörgen Persson made a few substitutes in the national team last spring, and since last autumn has been the assistant captain of Peter Blomquist.
What happens to Peter Blomquist?
- Peter Blomquist will continue in the union in a slightly different role. He will sit more on our youth side and see how we will develop develop players towards the 2024 Olympics. Long-term perspective. There are many young players who need his support.
Jörgen Persson's contract as Sweden's national team captain for table tennis applies to the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, where Sweden's men recently qualified for the team competition.
- Our goal is for him to take that role. It is natural for us to see him as the best candidate, says Sports Manager Mikael Andersson to SVT Sport.
The first major championship as the new national team for Persson will be individual European Championships in Poland in mid-September, the week after the postponed World Cup in South Korea will be decided.