Olympics the mission for squash ‘sales pitch’
GOLD Coaster Ethan Eyles has helped sell his sport to the world, now he hopes he’ll get the chance to play on the biggest sporting stage there is.
Eyles and South Australia’s Alex Haydon have recently returned from the Youth Olympic Games in Argentina, where they helped push the cause of “showcase” sport squash.
The duo were among 38 players from 28 countries helping to promote the sport as it pushes for Olympic inclusion at the 2024 Games in Paris.
Athletes took part in demonstration matches on a glass court in Buenos Aires as well as encouraging young people at the event to try the sport at introductory clinics.
While squash is included as a full medal sport in the Commonwealth Games – and was played at Oxenford during the Gold Coast Games earlier this year – it is not yet an Olympic sport.
But if Eyles has his way, he could be making history in six years’ time.
The 16-year-old said his Youth Olympic experience was “awesome”.
“It is a great opportunity to play on the glass court in Buenos Aires and I’ve been really enjoying it and showcasing the sport,” Eyles said. “It would be nice to compete for a medal, everyone would really go for it and we’d really enjoy going for a medal and going for gold.
“Hopefully people see the sport and it promotes it to get into the Olympic Games.”
The International Olympic Committee will meet in September 2019 to determine the sports for the 2024 Games.