On a platter
Nicol should clinch fifth individual squash gold medal in Asiad
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian squash queen Nicol David will be out to etch another memorable outing in her sixth Asian Games in Jakarta from Aug 18-Sept 2.
The 35-year-old has fond memories from the last five Asiad outings and she wants to keep the good times rolling.
She was only 14 when she featured in her first Asian Games in Bangkok in 1998 and surprised everyone by winning a gold in the women’s individual event.
The Penangite has won a total of four individual golds and two team golds over the last 20 years in the Asian Games series.
The only time Nicol failed to win an individual gold was in 2002 in Busan, South Korea, when she lost to Rebecca Chiu of Hong Kong in the final.
No other player from Asia is likely to match Nicol’s staggering achievement in the Asian Games.
And the Malaysian is not done yet. The Indonesia Asian Games could be her last and Nicol just wants to enjoy herself.
“The 1998 Asian Games will always be special to me. I was speechless after winning the gold as it all happened so fast,” said the world No. 9 Nicol.
“I can still remember that moment, it was the turning point of my squash career which kicked off from there. Every other Asian Games also holds good memories for me,” said Nicol, who is hoping to come good in Indonesia again.
“I was in Jakarta when I was only 13 years old. Then, I represented Malaysia at the Indonesia SEA Games (in 1997).
“It was my first outing as a senior player in the national team. I was a reserve then and only played in one match in the team event which we won.
“And now after many years, I’ll be back in Jakarta for the Asian Games. It will be a special occasion and I will treasure the moment.
“Asian Games is held once every four years ... I’ll not take things for granted,” said Nicol, who has returned to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam to focus on her training for the Asian Games.
Nicol is the top seed in the individual event but she will not take her opponents, especially from Hong Kong and India, for granted.
World No. 11 Annie Au of Hong Kong and world No. 16 Joshna Chinappa of India are expected to give Nicol a strong challenge.
Joshna upset Nicol in straight sets in the second round of El Gouna International Open in Egypt in April while Annie defeated the Malaysian in the second round of the US Open in a five-setter last October.
“Many young players from Hong Kong, India and Malaysia have gradually moved up in their game and world rankings and this is good for the game,” said Nicol, who was the world number one ranked player for a record 108 consecutive months and holds the distinction of being the only female player to have won the world title eight times.
Besides Nicol, newly crowned national champion S. Sivasangari will feature in the women’s individual event and will be joined by former world No. 5 Low Wee Wern and 17-year-old Aifa Azman in the team event.