King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden beamed with pride as he posed with David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig after they won gold in beach volleyball at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The Swedish monarch, 78, gave the duo a round of applause following their victory over Germany at the Eiffel Tower Stadium on Saturday.
The king watched from the stands as Åhman and Hellvig defeated Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wickler 21-10, 21-13 in just 36 minutes. After the match, the venue DJ played songs by ABBA in celebration. Åhman raised his fist in victory as they posed with their monarch, who has keenly supported their Olympic journey.
Sweden now sits in 16th place with four gold medals and 11 total heading into the final day of the Games on Sunday. Hellvig said after the match: 'Everything just worked for us. And I still don't believe how we managed to play that well, actually. And then the match was just over.'
The Swedes used an innovative 'Swedish jump-set' style to reach the finals of seven consecutive major international tournaments, propelling them to No. 1 in the world rankings. Åhman and Hellvig were the top beach volleyball team in the world at age 22.
Earlier in the week, King Carl Gustaf gave the infamous Olympic Village beds a royal seal of approval. In pictures shared to Instagram, the king appeared in high spirits as he tested out the sleeping arrangements. Despite the beds being made from cardboard, the king looked comfortable. He also met Swedish athletes, including thrower Daniel Ståhl, shot put athlete Fanny Roos, and table tennis stars Truls Moregardh and Anton Källberg.
King Carl and Queen Silvia have maintained an enthusiastic presence throughout the Games, appearing in the stands to cheer on their country's athletes. On Tuesday, they watched the men's Olympic table tennis quarterfinals, showing enthusiasm as Swedish players took on Germany.
