What happens after you become the best—and everyone expects you to keep winning?

Part 3 of our Legends of the Cue interview with Swedish wheelchair pool great Henrik Larsson begins with that question and develops into a revealing conversation about championship pressure, rivalries, mental toughness and the changing meaning of success.

Henrik takes us inside his remarkable 2007 WPA World Championship victory, when outside expectations, conflict with an opponent and pressure from his own federation left him wanting almost anything except to play the final. His solution was fascinating: if he didn’t feel like the confident Henrik Larsson who could win the match, he would simply behave like him. It became an important lesson about fear, performance and the mind.

Then comes his great rivalry with Finland’s Jouni Tähti. After painful defeats, Henrik meets Tähti again in the 2012 world final. Facing another deficit, he decides he simply will not lose a third consecutive time—and produces what he calls one of the proudest performances of his career.

Henrik also discusses joining Predator, the growth of Parasport pool, his later world championships, and the 2016 victory that gave him his sixth WPA world title—along with the amusing role a ringing telephone played in that tournament.

But this episode becomes about much more than trophies.

Henrik explains the creation of Malmö’s Wheelchair Academy, a 13-week empowerment program designed to help wheelchair users develop practical independence in virtually every aspect of life—from transportation and employment to caring for a home and family. More than 200 people have participated in a program Henrik believes can improve both quality of life and independence.

We also explore his Swedish Parasport Hall of Fame recognition, a third-place finish against Sweden’s standing players, his pursuit of a 100-ball straight-pool run and the arrival of Heyball.

Part 3 reveals a champion whose greatest challenge eventually became larger than winning matches: how to use everything pool had taught him to empower others.

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Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cu...