“Ulf ”Tickan” Carlsson remembers his best friend”
“Ulf ”Tickan” Carlsson and Ulf ”Benke” Bengtsson has been followed from early adolescence to the present day.”
“Together with Jörgen Persson, he got to take a last farewell of his best friend yesterday.”
“– of Course it was very tough. But it was a little bit on him that he thought it was fun and nice that we were there, ” says Carlsson.”
“today came the sad news that bordtennisspelaren Ulf ”Benke” Bengtsson has fallen asleep, the 59-year-old.”
“During the Sunday morning, he died after a period of illness.”
“The former national team coach Ulf ”Tickan” Carlsson was just as ”Right” a part of the Swedish golden pingisgenerationen in the 80’s.”
“He remembers his friend with the heat.”
“– We have followed each other ever since we played together in the youth. There was a year between us and we started competing when we were young. Since then we’ve followed each other through the whole pingiskarriären and became best friends after it, ” says Carlsson.”
” I have only positive and wonderful memories of him. It is a heavy one.”
“Then he was unstoppable””
“Carlsson describes him as a känslomänniska that was up and down in mood in a lovely way.”
“– When he had his go, and self-confidence were no obstacles on the way to the road. At the same time, when it was heavier, it turned out also. He went on his feeling much and when it was struggling, so he showed it. He took the decision according to their feelings and was a känslomänniska simply.”
“How would you describe him as pingisspelare?”
” He had a very nice forehand, his smash was known at the time. First we had Kjell ”the Hammer” Johansson, then came the ”Benke”. His forehand smash was a world-renowned precisely because he had a very high maximum potential. When he was in the zone or had the confidence, he was almost unbeatable. After he become european champion rode on it for a period and was incredibly good. Then he was as good as unstoppable.”
“It’s a wonderful memory””
“During the european CHAMPIONSHIPS in Moscow in 1984 took Bengtsson all the way to the final in singles against Andrzej Grubba. Once there, he won the match with 3-2 in sets.”
“EM-gold was Bengtsson’s main track and the championship characterized him,” says Carlsson.”
“– On the last förberedelselägret that we had before we went to Russia so he broke the last workout. He was so damn tired and did not like the shape was there. When we fought so he broke camp on the last day and just shat in it.”
“– Two weeks later he was the european champion. It was a little so it was with him, up and down on the lovely way. At the time, also got lagkamraterna sit on the bench during a singles match, unlike today where only one coach is allowed to sit there. I remember I sat there and supported him throughout the men’s singles and was among the first to enter the paddock and congratulated. Just the two weeks is an amazing memory I have.”
“yesterday was ”Benke” a last visit of ”Tickan” together with another pingislegendar, Jörgen Persson.”
” We were and greeted him yesterday. Of course it was tough and we knew that it was hard for him and that it was approaching. But somehow wonderful. It was a little bit on him that he thought it was fun and nice that we were there, he gave no sign of it. So it was tough and when the news came today it felt very sad, ” says Carlsson.”
“Swedish bordtennisförbundet writes that ”Right” is ”One of the great who have left us”.”
“Ulf Bengtsson was 59 years old.”
