Sram Never Relented In Grip To Find World-class Players For Olympics

KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 (Bernama) -- The Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) believes that it has never relented in its efforts to groom more calibre players over the next few years to find glory at the Olympic Games.

SRAM president Gerard Monteiro said that while the focus was on the main players Ng Eain Yow and S. Sivasangari to fall back on, the governing body of the sport in the country never ruled out on the advancing careers of bourgeoning young players who are also likely to become winning bets at the world’s biggest Games.

“Now we have Sangari in the top 10 (ranked world 10th in May 2024 update by Professional Squash Association), so it is our aim and her ambition to get into the top 8 as soon as possible. We hope she will be followed by (Malaysians) Aira Azman, Aifa Azman, Rachel Arnold to be up there as well.

“As far as we are concerned, the top ranking players we will be sending to the Olympics and if the rest are a bit behind, they will be sent for qualifying events. This is not only for the Los Angeles 2028 (LA28) Olympic Games but also for the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane, Australia,” he said after the SRAM annual general meeting (AGM) here today.

Squash will make its Olympic debut in the 2028 Los Angeles edition. 

Gerard said SRAM at the same time opened up space for players to undergo training based abroad to improve their performance.

“Like Sivasangari who is still based in the United States, Eain Yow and C. Ameeshenraj both in Bristol,  so too among our top four or top six men and women players, the majority of national players would be based overseas most of the time,” he said.

Gerard said at the same time, SRAM is also closely following the development of national squash legend Ong Beng Hee who opened an academy in China (in June 2024)  to impact the development of squash there. 

“Now we have a new band of players who are able to do well for Malaysia in the next four to six years. It’s true that China has invested a lot of money into squash for the Olympics and roped in Beng Hee, once a top player in the world, but we’re going to keep an eye on this (development),” he said.

-- BERNAMA