Canada or India for Squash Gold at Commonwealth Games: Jonathan Power
Squash is a sport that is consistently gaining popularity in India. Now that the country is hosting the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, expectations are sky high that India’s squash team might pull off a stellar performance, starting from Sunday.
In an interview, Canadian squash champion Jonathan Power has reiterated the obvious that the ambience in India will be very different with rowdy crowds in the stands. This experienced Canadian champion has won all major Pro Squash Association tours in the
world and knows a thing or two about playing in India. During the Commonwealth Games in 2002, Power won the gold medal. He has played numerous matches in countries like Egypt, England and Pakistan which have ruled the world of squash.
The men and women events for squash will take place at the Siri Fort Sports Complex in New Delhi. After considering current form and past records, Canada and India have been tipped to clinch the medals in squash. However, England, Australia and Malaysia
will pose as a tough challenge to this notion.
The Indian Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee has been a subject of severe criticism since the past few weeks on grounds of its poor management of the Games Village and other venues where the mega event will be taking place. However, the squash and
badminton venues are ready to host the events.
Power went on to say that squash fans in India were different from the ones in Canada. He dubbed Indian fans as “intense”.
Jonathan Power had a lot to say regarding his previous matches in India. One match that he recalled while giving the interview was the one in Mumbai against legendary Pakistani squash player Jansher Khan in 1997. While giving details about this match, Power
said that the match was happening in an outdoor court and the temperature at the time was recorded at 36 degrees. It was a night match and the score was 6-6 in the first round. He added that both the champions were ready to quit the game.
The squash matches start from the 4th of October will be played in an air-conditioned indoor stadium. The world’s number 27th squash player, Shahier Razik will be leading the Canadian squash squad. He has won the National Squash Championship
tournament in the country on four occasions and has high chances of clinching a medal. The team also has the services of Shawn Delierre from Montreal, Robin Clarke from Toronto and Andrew McDougall from Calgary. Alana Miller will be representing the Canadian
women’s squash team.
Commonwealth Games is an important event for squash players since the sport is not part of the Olympic Games. As a result, all squash champions look forward to this mega event to prove their talent. It is an objective of every great squash player to win
gold at the Commonwealth Games before his or her retirement from the sport. English player Peter Nicol achieved this goal and won the gold medal for his team at the previous edition of the Commonwealth Games that took place in Melbourne, 2006 when he won against
Australia’s David Palmer.
While giving a telephone interview all the way from Scotland, Nicol said that it was the best match of his career.
Unlike Power, Nicol could not relate any good memories of his athletic career in India. He did however mention how he defeated Power in the Commonwealth Games that took place in Malaysia. Nicol was then defeated by Power in Manchester four years later.
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