Thomas Kihlström (Swedish: Thomas Kihlström, born December 11, 1948) is a Swedish former badminton player renowned for his agility, tactical acumen, and composure under pressure. Despite being an impressive singles player early in his career, his career achievements mainly stem from doubles play. From 1973 to 1988, Thomas Kihlström won 24 championships in the Swedish National Championships.
In an era where world-class badminton players tend to specialize in one event, his all-round skills proved that he was the only person to have won medals in men’s singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles at the World Badminton Championships, and also the only one to have won medals in all three events at the Japan Open Badminton Championships.
Thomas Kihlström won the mixed doubles title at the 1983 IBF World Championships with Norah Perry.[1] He also earned 16 medals at the European Badminton Championships, including 2 in men’s singles, 2 in mixed doubles, 5 in men’s doubles, and 7 in team events. He won two All England Open Badminton Championships men’s doubles titles, one in 1976 with Bent Frohman and another in 1983 with Stefan Karlsson.
He also won the All England Mixed Doubles Championship in 1983 with Norah Perry.
1983 All England Badminton Championships Men’s Doubles Champion
1983 World Badminton Championships Mixed Doubles Champion
1977 World Badminton Championships Men’s Singles Bronze Medalist
1977 World Badminton Championships Men’s Doubles Bronze Medalist
1976 All England Badminton Championships Men’s Doubles Champion
