Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Hans Alsér

Hans Alsér
Mary Shannon and Hans Alsér in Utrecht, the Netherlands, 1963
Personal information
Full nameHans Edward Alsér
Nationality Sweden
Born(1942-01-23)23 January 1942
Borås
Died15 January 1977(1977-01-15) (aged 34)
Kälvesta
Table tennis career
Playing styleShakehand, All-round Attacker
Medal record
Table tennis
Representing  Sweden
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1969 Munich Team
Gold medal – first place 1967 Stockholm Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1967 Stockholm Team
Bronze medal – third place 1963 Prague Team
Bronze medal – third place 1959 Dortmund Doubles
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1970 Moscow Singles
Silver medal – second place 1970 Moscow Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1970 Moscow Team
Bronze medal – third place 1968 Lyon Singles
Silver medal – second place 1968 Lyon Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1968 Lyon Team
Gold medal – first place 1966 London Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1966 London Team
Silver medal – second place 1964 Malmo Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1964 Malmo Team
Gold medal – first place 1962 Berlin Singles
Gold medal – first place 1962 Berlin Mixed doubles
Silver medal – second place 1962 Berlin Team
Silver medal – second place 1960 Zagreb Team

Hans "Hasse" Alsér (23 January 1942 – 15 January 1977) was a Swedish international table tennis player and later the head coach of West German (1971–1974) and Swedish (1974–1977) national teams.[1]

Table tennis career

Hans Alsér was an international top level player. He was the European champion (singles) 1962 and 1970, World champion (doubles) 1967 and 1969,[2] and European champion (doubles) 1966.[3]

Hans Alsér was Swedish singles Champion six times. During the years 1960–1971 he played in the Swedish singles Championship final every year. The years when he did not become the Swedish singles Champion he was second placed. In 1967 he also became Swedish mixed double Champion with Eva Johansson.

He also won an English Open title.

His playing style was more all-round than most other players in the 1960s. He could attack close to the table but also defend far from the table. He mastered top-spin, chopping, looping and all other types of play.

Stiga (manufacturer of table tennis tables, rackets, rubber and balls) made a very popular racket with the Alsér-grip.[4] It became thicker towards the end of the grip, decreasing the risk of the racket slipping out of the player's grip.

He died in 1977 at the age of 34 in a plane crash at Kälvesta near Stockholm.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Hans Alsér". Find A Grave. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
  2. ^ "Men's doubles results" (PDF). International Table Tennis Federation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 April 2012.
  3. ^ "ALSER Hans (SWE)". International Table Tennis Federation. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
  4. ^ "Hans Alsér racket". Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2012.