The day after the team silver, Källberg, Karlsson, Truls Möregårdh, and Persson were celebrated at Sweden Arena. Dignitaries from the Swedish Olympic Committee and sponsors basked in the silver glow.
SOK chairman Hans von Uthmann gave a speech and conveyed a greeting from King Carl XVI Gustaf, who was out at the canoeing events.
The pingis heroes posed for selfies and hit a few balls. They were swept around among the crowd under the scorching sun.
The night was fun and pleasant. We partied a bit until the morning hours but still got some sleep, says Källberg.
Pizza and kebab
The menu featured pizza around midnight and then a kebab when the sun had already risen over Paris.
With Möregårdh's individual silver and the team's medal of the same value, the trio creates pingis hysteria back home. Now it's a matter of striking while the iron is hot. Already in October, the next championship, the European Championship in Linz, Austria, awaits.
Källberg believes that much suggests that the same players as in the Olympic Games will play there. But who will lead them? Jörgen Persson's contract as national team captain expires with the Olympic Games – and it's not certain that he will continue.
We'll see, this is the fourth year. Now I'll just enjoy this a bit with the guys. Then we'll see what happens, said Persson after the team final against China.
Källberg emphasizes how important Persson is.
He brings a vast amount of experience that few in world pingis have. He has been in hot situations himself. He can sense it during matches and is not so nervous.
Conveys calm
He doesn't stress, he has a calm that he conveys to the team. He supports and believes all the time that it can go even when we're behind, like against Japan in the semifinal. He showed no signs of giving up and made me believe in it.
Is it important that he continues?
One can only speculate, but he has reaped fantastic successes. Olympic Games, European Championship, and World Championship medals in almost every championship. Those successes don't come by themselves.
Kristian Karlsson agrees.
- He contributes with so much experience and knowledge. He has almost done everything that can be done in table tennis. It's a security to have him with us at major championships and big matches.
- That's where his expertise shines through.
