Sydney Olympic Park, Pavilion 2, 20 September 2000, Games of the XXVII Olympiad: Magnus WISLANDER (N°3) of Sweden battling with Anouar AYED (n°2) of Tunisia during the handball preliminaries. Sweden went on to win the game by 27 to 18. Credit: Getty Images/Steve Munday |
Nicknamed "The Hose" because of his ability to slither through the defense, Magnus Wislander was voted World Handball Player of the Century in 1999. He first played for the Swedish national team on 16 January 1985 and continued to represent his nation through 2004. During this 19-year period he has played more than 380 international matches while averaging three goals a game. Wislander led Sweden to world championships in 1990 and 1999 and European championships in 1994, 1998, 2000 and 2002. He competed in four Olympics, beginning in 1988 when Sweden placed fifth. At the 1992 Barcelona Games, Sweden made it to the final undefeated, but then lost to the Unified Team (ex USSR) 22-20. Four years later, Sweden again qualified for the final without a loss and again lost in the final, this time to Croatia 27-26. At the 2000 Olympics, Wislander and his teammates won all of their preliminary matches once more, only to lose again in the final, 28-26 to Russia. During Wislander's four-Olympic career, Sweden won 23 matches and lost only 5. As a professional, Wislander played for Redbergslid Göteborg in Sweden before joining THW Kiel in Germany in 1990. 
Atlanta, Georgia World Congress Center, 25 July 1996, Games of the XXVI Olympiad: Magnus WISLANDER (N°3), Mats OLSSON (N°1) and Ola LINDGREN (N°5) of Sweden during a preliminary handball game against Switzerland. Sweden went on to win the game by 26 to 19. Credit: Getty Images/John Gichgi |
Sydney Olympic Park, Pavilion 2, 20 September 2000, Games of the XXVII Olympiad: Magnus WISLANDER of Sweden (in the centre) in action during a preliminary handball game against Tunisia. Sweden went on to win the game by 27 to 18.Credit: Getty Images/Steve Munday |
Sydney Olympic Park, Pavilion 2, 20 September 2000, Games of the XXVII Olympiad: Magnus WISLANDER of Sweden (in the centre) in action during a preliminary handball game against Tunisia. Sweden went on to win the game by 27 to 18. Credit: Getty Images/Steve Munday |
Sydney Olympic Park, Pavilion 2, 20 September 2000, Games of the XXVII Olympiad: Magnus WISLANDER of Sweden (right) battling with Issam TEJ (N°6) during a preliminary handball game. Sweden went on to win the game by 27 to 18. Credit: Getty Images/Steve Munday |
Sydney Olympic Park, Pavilion 2, 20 September 2000, Games of the XXVII Olympiad: Magnus WISLANDER of Sweden (right) battling with Issam TEJ (N°6) during a preliminary handball game. Sweden went on to win the game by 27 to 18. Credit: Getty Images/Steve Munday |
Sydney Olympic Park, Pavilion 2, 20 September 2000, Games of the XXVII Olympiad: Magnus WISLANDER of Sweden (N°3) in action during a preliminary handball game against Tunisia. Sweden went on to win the game by 27 to 18. Credit: Getty Images/Steve Munday |
Credit: IOC
For further info., please visit http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/profiles/bio_uk.asp?par_i_id=60843.
|
