Mats Nilsson (javelin)
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Mats Nilsson NCAA & SEC Champion 1997, Crimson Tide | |||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
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| Full name | Mats Inge Nilsson | ||||||||||||
| Born | Tyresö, Stockholm County | ||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||
| Country |
 Sweden | ||||||||||||
| Club | Klippans FK | ||||||||||||
| Retired | 2005 | ||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 77.14 m | ||||||||||||
Medal record
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Mats Nilsson is a 4-time All-American javelin thrower competing for University of Alabama (1995–1998), University of Texas at El Paso (2000–2001), and the Swedish National Team (1991–2004). Nilsson was ranked top-10 in the world as a junior, a perennial medalist at the Swedish Championships, and became Crimson Tide's first NCAA champion in the javelin throw in history. Mats's older brother, Joakim Nilsson, was the catalyst for the Tide's throwers' program in the early 1990s, and was awarded the prestigious Bryant Student Athlete Award (1995) (named after Paul "Bear" Bryant) at the end of his career.
Progression
- 1989: 48.80 m/160.1 ft (600 g)
- 1990: 63.02 m/206.7 ft (600 g)
- 1991: 72.22 m/236.9 ft (600 g), 65.90 m/216.2 (700 g); EYOD Silver Medalist European Youth Olympic Festival
- 1992: 61 m/200.1 ft (800 g)
- 1993: 66.72 m/218.8 ft (800 g)
- 1994: 70.14 m/230.1 ft (800 g); Junior World Championships 9th place
- 1995: 72.20 m/236.8 ft (800 g)
- 1996: 76.66 m/251.5 ft (800 g); NCAA Silver Medalist, SEC Gold Medalist
- 1997: 77.14 m/253.08 ft (800 g); NCAA Gold Medalist, SEC Gold Medalist, M22 European Championships 10th place
Other
- Ranked top-100 in the world 1996, 1997, 1998, 2003, and 2004 with the 800 g javelin
- "All-American" 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000
- WAC Champion 2000
- Medalist Swedish Championships 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, and 2004
2004 Dual Nation Swe-Fin