Svend Pri (earlier Svend Andersen; March 18, 1945 – June 8, 1983) was a Danish badminton player who won numerous major titles from the mid-1960s through the mid-1970s.[1]

Svend Pri
Personal information
Birth nameSvend Andersen
CountryDenmark
Born(1945-03-18)18 March 1945
Copenhagen, Denmark
Died8 June 1983(1983-06-08) (aged 38)[1]
HandednessRight
Medal record
Men's badminton
Representing  Denmark
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1977 Malmö Men's singles
Thomas Cup
Silver medal – second place 1973 Jakarta Men's team
Silver medal – second place 1979 Jakarta Men's team
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1980 Groningen Mixed team
Silver medal – second place 1974 Vienna Men's Doubles
Silver medal – second place 1974 Vienna Mixed team
Bronze medal – third place 1980 Groningen Men's Singles

Career

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His play was marked by great power, tenacity, and tactical astuteness. Pri competed in badminton at the 1972 Summer Olympics, where badminton was played as a demonstration sport. In men's singles he was defeated in the final by Rudy Hartono 15–6, 15–1. In mixed doubles he played together with Ulla Strand and they were beaten in the final by Derek Talbot and Gillian Gilks 15–6, 18–16.[2] An excellent three event (singles, doubles, mixed doubles) player, the high points of his career were probably two dramatic singles victories over the iconic Rudy Hartono, one in the Challenge Round of Thomas Cup (Denmark v. Indonesia) in 1973,[3] the other in the final of the All-Englands in 1975.[4] He won a silver medal in the 1977 IBF World Championships in men's singles, losing against Flemming Delfs in the final 15–5, 15–6.[5]

Death

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Experiencing personal difficulty in coping with family and financial problems in the wake of his badminton career, Pri killed himself in June 1983 at the age of 38.[6][1]

Achievements

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Olympic Games (demonstration)

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Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1972 Munich, West Germany   Rudy Hartono 6–15, 1–15   Silver

World Championships

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Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1977 Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden   Flemming Delfs 5–15, 6–15   Silver

European Championships

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Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1980 Groningen, Netherlands   Bronze

International tournaments

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Men's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
1966 London Championships   Erland Kops 15–0, 15–7   Winner
1966 Swedish Open   Winner
1966 Denmark Open   Knud Aage Nielsen 15–3, 15–9   Winner
1967 Swedish Open   Erland Kops   Winner
1968 Swedish Open   Winner
1969 Swedish Open   Sture Johnsson 15–18, 15–12, 15–10   Winner
1969 Denmark Open   Tom Bacher 15–5, 15–7   Winner
1969 German Open   Jørgen Mortensen   Winner
1970 Swedish Open   Sture Johnsson   Winner
1970 All England   Rudy Hartono 7–15, 1–15   Runner-up
1971 Dutch Open   Elo Hansen 10–15, 15–11, 15–10   Winner
1971 Norwegian International   Erland Kops 15–10, 15–10   Winner
1972 Swedish Open   Sture Johnsson 15–2, 15–6   Winner
1972 Denmark Open   Ippei Kojima 15–9, 15–5   Winner
1972 All England   Rudy Hartono 9–15, 4–15   Runner-up
1973 Swedish Open   Winner
1973 India Open   Flemming Delfs 15–8, 15–7   Winner
1974 Dutch Open   Sture Johnsson   Winner
1975 Swedish Open   Sture Johnsson   Winner
1975 Denmark Open   Rudy Hartono 15–12, 0–15, 7–15   Runner-up
1975 All England   Rudy Hartono 15–11, 17–14   Winner
1976 Denmark Open   Flemming Delfs 9–15, 15–5, 15–10   Winner
1977 Denmark Open   Flemming Delfs 12–15, 7–15   Runner-up
1978 Swedish Open   Flemming Delfs 15–3, 15–8   Winner
1978 Dutch Open   Flemming Delfs 3–15, 15–3, 7–15   Runner-up

Men's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1966 London Championships   Erland Kops   D.O. Fulton
  Roger Mills
9–15, 15–7, 15–12   Winner
1966 Canadian Open   Yew Cheng Hoe   Tan Yee Khan
  Ng Boon Bee
15–12, 1–15, 14–17   Runner-up
1967 Swedish Open   Per Walsøe   Henning Borch
  Erland Kops
  Winner
1967 All England   Per Walsøe   Henning Borch
  Erland Kops
8–15, 12–15   Runner-up
1969 Swedish Open   Erland Kops   Tony Jordan
  Roger Mills
15–13, 8–15, 15–11   Winner
1970 Swedish Open   Per Walsøe   Poul Peterson
  Elo Hansen
  Winner
1970 Denmark Open   Per Walsøe   Henning Borch
  Erland Kops
  Runner-up
1971 Swedish Open   Per Walsøe   Henning Borch
  Erland Kops
  Winner
1971 Dutch Open   Erland Kops   Derek Talbot
  Elliot Stuart
15–11, 15–5   Winner
1972 Swedish Open   Erland Kops   Per Walsøe
  Poul Petersen
15–4, 9–15, 15–12   Winner
1972 Dutch Open   Erland Kops   Winner
1973 Swedish Open   Poul Peterson   Winner
1976 All England   Steen Skovgaard   Thomas Kihlström
  Bengt Fröman
12–15, 15–17   Runner-up
1978 Dutch Open   Jesper Helledie   Mike Tredgett
  Ray Stevens
9–15, 15–1, 15–5   Winner

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1966 London Championships   Iris Rogers   Tony Jordan
  Angela Bairstow
4–15, 15–10, 5–15   Runner-up
1967 All England   Ulla Strand   Pernille Mølgaard Hansen
  Per Walsøe
15–2, 15–10   Winner
1968 Swedish Open   Ulla Strand   Winner
1971 Denmark Open   Ulla Strand   Ray Stevens
  Barbara Hood
15–13, 15–11   Winner
1971 All England   Ulla Strand   Derek Talbot
  Gillian Gilks
15–12, 8–15, 15–11   Winner
1971 Dutch Open   Ulla Strand   Derek Talbot
  Gillian Gilks
4–15, 15–6, 16–17   Runner-up
1972 Swedish Open   Ulla Strand   David Eddy
  Gillian Gilks
10–15, 8–15   Runner-up
1972 Denmark Open   Ulla Strand   Wolfgang Bochow
  Marieluise Wackerow
7–15, 15–13, 10–15   Runner-up
1972 All England   Ulla Strand   Derek Talbot
  Gillian Gilks
12–15, 15–8, 15–12   Winner

References

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  1. ^ a b c Fink, Lars (11 March 2020). "Fighteren der fik ondt i livet" (in Danish). TV 2. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  2. ^ Davis, 116.
  3. ^ Pat Davis, The Guinness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. 1983) 125.
  4. ^ Davis, 93.
  5. ^ Davis, 109.
  6. ^ "Change of court for Rudy Hartono".
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