Paralympic champion Anna-Carin Ahlquist will compete for Sweden ©SPC

The Swedish Paralympic Committee (SPC) has named two athletes and one team who will compete for the nation at Rio 2016 as part of its pre-selection process.

Anna-Carin Ahlquist, who won gold at London 2012 in the class three table tennis event and is the current world number one in the classification, secured her berth by virtue of her triumph at the Para Table Tennis European Championships in Denmark in October.

Teammate Ingela Lundbäck also claimed a podium finish at London 2012 as she took home bronze in the class five competition.

The duo then teamed up to earn silver in the class four and five tournament.

Ahlquist's place has now been confirmed by the SPC, ensuring she will get the opportunity to defend her Paralympic title at the Games in the Brazilian city next year.

Swimmer Karl Forsman clinched his place at the Paralympics after he took silver in the 100 metres breaststroke at the International Paralympic Committee Swimming World Championships in Glasgow and his spot on the Swedish team has also been ratified.

The other definite Swedish representative at the Games, which will take place from September 7 to 18, is the nation’s men's wheelchair rugby team after they qualified for Rio by clinching silver at the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation 2015 European Championship in Pajulahti, Finland.

Sweden's men's wheelchair rugby team will go in search of their first Paralympic medal at Rio 2016
Sweden's men's wheelchair rugby team will go in search of their first Paralympic medal at Rio 2016 ©SPC

They finished second after suffering an agonising 49-48 defeat at the hands of reigning champions Britain in a pulsating final.

Sweden have never won a wheelchair rugby medal at the Games after finishing fifth at Sydney 2000 and sixth at London 2012.

Their exact team for Rio will be announced in the near future.

Both Ahlquist and Forsman, as well as the wheelchair rugby side, achieved the necessary qualification criteria but all athletes must have their place confirmed by their respective National Paralympic Committee.

Sweden clinched a haul of 12 medals from London 2012, including four golds as Maja Reichard won the women’s SB11 100m breaststroke race, while Jonas Jacobsson reigned supreme in the men's 50 metres rifle 3 positions SH1 competition.

Their other success came thanks to Stefan Olsson and Peter Vikström, gold medallists in the men’s wheelchair tennis doubles.



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