Local team creates history at squash championships
MALAYSIA’s squash team created history when they won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze at the Ninth World University Squash Championships in Kuala Lumpur.
The tournament, which was held in Malaysia for the first time from Sept 5 to 11 serves as a platform for university students worldwide to congregate and show their mettle in squash. It offers three medals – men’s singles, women’s singles and mixed team.
The country ‘s first gold came from Low Wee Wern who defeated Hong Kong’s Tong Tsz Wing to win the women’s singles.
Her fellow Malaysian Nazihah Anis Abd Razak tied for bronze with Nadal Mohamed Mahmud of Britain.
In the men’s singles category, Malaysia’s Ivan Yuen lost to Hong Kong’s Yip Fung Tsz to walk away with silver.
History was made when the Malaysian contingent beat Hong Kong in the mixed team finals to bag the country’s second gold medal. It was a nail-biting affair.
Malaysia was 1-1 after Yuen lost his match and Low won hers. It all came down to Sanjay Singh.
After winning the first set with 11-8, Sanjay lost the next two sets with 4-11 and 1-11. He managed to turn the tables and won the last two sets, 11-9 and 11-7 to win gold.
“I knew I was slacking off after I lost the third set. I told myself that I had to up my pace because I have beaten him (Wong Chi Him) before and knew I could do it again,” said Sanjay.
He added that winning the last set was a big relief and confidence boost, as this was his first major tournament this year, after recovering from a knee injury.
Low represented KDU University College, Nazihah played for Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia, Yuen for Universiti Putra Malaysia, while Sanjay and Muhammad Addeen Idrakie (who was the reserve player) represented Universiti Malaya. This is Malaysia’s best performance in this tournament yet.