KUALA LUMPUR: Like all great champions Nicol David refuses to embrace defeat. So it upsets her that she is still unable to achieve the one thing she wants most: squash in the Olympics.
Typically, Nicol refuses to give up, continuing her campaign despite the intransigence of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on accepting squash as part of the Games.
Nicol’s latest attempt to get her sport in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics also met with failure. The IOC snubbed squash in favour of golf and rugby but that has only made Nicol, who presented a paper to the IOC in 2009 for the inclusion of squash, even more determined to crusade on.
“My dream has always been to play in the Olympics and I will do everything I can to see squash in the Games,” said Nicol, who has won every title the sport has to offer.
My vision 2020: Nicol David intends to fight for squash’s inclusion in the 2020 Olympics even though she is unlikely to be playing. “It’s discouraging that the IOC have rejected our appeal for the 2016 Olympics as well but I haven’t given up hope.”
Nicol, who has bagged 56 Women’s International Squash Players Association (Wispa) titles since turning pro in 2000 including the world title a record six times, now intends to fight for the sport’s inclusion in the 2020 Olympics even though she is unlikely to be still playing then.
Her frustration is understandable. It is every athlete’s dream to compete in the Olympics and Nicol is at the peak of her career. She would be the favourite for the gold if squash was on the London Olympics programme.
Nicol, who had said after winning her record sixth world title in Rotterdam last month that she would willingly trade them all for one Olympic gold medal, is perplexed as to why the IOC continue to disregard squash.
The world squash Hall of Famer said: “We will keep at it until the sport becomes an Olympic event. We will be getting together soon to prepare a bid for inclusion in the 2020 Games.
“We are expected to make our presentation to the IOC in September. We have to redouble our efforts to convince them that squash merits recognition,” she said.
Nicol, who has been the women’s world number one since 2006, hits the competition trail early in the new year with the World Series Final in London from Jan 4-8.
“It gets tougher every year so I have to train harder and improve my game to stay ahead,” said Nicol, who leaves for Amsterdam tonight to continue her training under coach Liz Irving.
THE STAR
Typically, Nicol refuses to give up, continuing her campaign despite the intransigence of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on accepting squash as part of the Games.
Nicol’s latest attempt to get her sport in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics also met with failure. The IOC snubbed squash in favour of golf and rugby but that has only made Nicol, who presented a paper to the IOC in 2009 for the inclusion of squash, even more determined to crusade on.
“My dream has always been to play in the Olympics and I will do everything I can to see squash in the Games,” said Nicol, who has won every title the sport has to offer.
My vision 2020: Nicol David intends to fight for squash’s inclusion in the 2020 Olympics even though she is unlikely to be playing.Nicol, who has bagged 56 Women’s International Squash Players Association (Wispa) titles since turning pro in 2000 including the world title a record six times, now intends to fight for the sport’s inclusion in the 2020 Olympics even though she is unlikely to be still playing then.
Her frustration is understandable. It is every athlete’s dream to compete in the Olympics and Nicol is at the peak of her career. She would be the favourite for the gold if squash was on the London Olympics programme.
Nicol, who had said after winning her record sixth world title in Rotterdam last month that she would willingly trade them all for one Olympic gold medal, is perplexed as to why the IOC continue to disregard squash.
The world squash Hall of Famer said: “We will keep at it until the sport becomes an Olympic event. We will be getting together soon to prepare a bid for inclusion in the 2020 Games.
“We are expected to make our presentation to the IOC in September. We have to redouble our efforts to convince them that squash merits recognition,” she said.
Nicol, who has been the women’s world number one since 2006, hits the competition trail early in the new year with the World Series Final in London from Jan 4-8.
“It gets tougher every year so I have to train harder and improve my game to stay ahead,” said Nicol, who leaves for Amsterdam tonight to continue her training under coach Liz Irving.
THE STAR
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