Svend Pri


Svend Pri was a Danish badminton player who won numerous major titles from the mid-1960s through the mid-1970s.

Career

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. An excellent three event 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 in 1973, the other in the final of the All-Englands in 1975. 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.

Death

Experiencing personal difficulty in coping with family and financial problems in the wake of his badminton career, Pri took his own life in June 1983 at the age of 38.

Achievements

Olympic Games (demonstration)

Men's singles
YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
1972Munich, West Germany Rudy Hartono6–15, 1–15 Silver

World Championships

Men's singles
YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
1977Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden Flemming Delfs5–15, 6–15 Silver

European Championships

Men's singles
YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
1980Groningen, Netherlands Bronze

International tournaments

Men's singles
YearTournamentOpponentScoreResult
1966London Championships Erland Kops15–0, 15–7 Winner
1966Swedish Open Winner
1966Denmark Open Knud Aage Nielsen15–3, 15–9 Winner
1967Swedish Open Erland Kops Winner
1968Swedish Open Winner
1969Swedish Open Sture Johnsson15–18, 15–12, 15–10 Winner
1969Denmark Open Tom Bacher15–5, 15–7 Winner
1969German Open Jørgen Mortensen Winner
1970Swedish Open Sture Johnsson Winner
1970All England Rudy Hartono7–15, 1–15 Runner-up
1971Dutch Open Elo Hansen10–15, 15–11, 15–10 Winner
1971Norwegian International Erland Kops15–10, 15–10 Winner
1972Swedish Open Sture Johnsson15–2, 15–6 Winner
1972Denmark Open Ippei Kojima15–9, 15–5 Winner
1972All England Rudy Hartono9–15, 4–15 Runner-up
1973Swedish Open Winner
1973India Open Flemming Delfs15–8, 15–7 Winner
1974Dutch Open Sture Johnsson Winner
1975Swedish Open Sture Johnsson Winner
1975Denmark Open Rudy Hartono15–12, 0–15, 7–15 Runner-up
1975All England Rudy Hartono15–11, 17–14 Winner
1976Denmark Open Flemming Delfs9–15, 15–5, 15–10 Winner
1977Denmark Open Flemming Delfs12–15, 7–15 Runner-up
1978Swedish Open Flemming Delfs15–3, 15–8 Winner
1978Dutch Open Flemming Delfs3–15, 15–3, 7–15 Runner-up

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

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