KUALA LUMPUR: The Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) and the National Sports Council (MSN) are targeting two gold medals through the national squash squad at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou this September.
SRAM coaching director Major (Rtd) S Maniam, however, said they did not specify the events for the gold medals because the national squad will be lined up with the best players who are able to achieve the target at the quadriennial Games.
“For the Asian Games, singles or mixed doubles anyone can win because the team is lined up with the best players, we hope they will be able to show the performance befitting our target with MSN which is two gold medals,” he told reporters after the announcement ceremony of the squash players’ attire sponsorship by ASICS here yesterday.
Maniam said the world’s 17th ranked male player Ng Eain Yow will be the best bet to win gold in addition to the mixed doubles also being able to contribute a medal at the Games.
He said, for the singles, Eain Yow and female player S. Sivasangari will almost certainly shoulder the national challenge at the prestigious meet, while Mohammad Syafiq Kamal and Aifa Azman are the best pair for mixed doubles.
“But the selection of mixed doubles players has not yet been finalised and it will only be decided after the Asian Mixed Doubles Championship in Hangzhou, which is a platform to see the best pairing to be selected for the Asian Games,” he said.
Malaysia have list three pairs namely Mohammad Syafiq-Aifa, Ivan Yuen-Rachel Arnold and Muhammad Addeen Idrakie Bahtiar-Noor Ainaa Amani Ampandi for the 2023 Asian Mixed Doubles Championship which will take place from June 26 to 30.
Recently, Eain Yow defended his men’s singles title at the Asian Squash Championship in Hong Kong after defeating the world’s 115th-ranked Indian player V. Senthilkumar 11-4, 11-5, 11-6. – Bernama
