The Swedish beach volleyball talents David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig, who previously won the U18, U20 and U22 ECs, shocked the semi-final in the senior EC against the Norwegian duo Anders Mol and Christian Sörum, the reigning Olympic, WC and EC champions.
The duo then followed that up by easily putting Czech Perusic and Schweiner out of action with their style of play to win the final 2-0 in sets.
- It was so much more fun to play here (in a senior championship), says Hellvig in SVT's broadcast.
The Swedish duo applied pressure immediately and were able to comfortably win the first set 21–16.
When Åhman and Hellvig had taken a 4–1 lead in the second set, the Czech pair took a timeout, but without beating the Swedes once play resumed.
The Swedish pair could instead, with a safe lead all the way, win the second set with 21–15 and thus decide the final and become European champions.
Sweden has never before won an EC medal in beach volleyball.
Hellvig and Åhman were already historic when they reached the nation's first semi-final.
- It is the first gold medal for volleyball in Sweden ever, says Magnusson.
Watch the broadcast here.
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Main broadcast Photo: SVT