Gutted to see squash lose out on getting into the Olympics, and to breakdancing of all crazy things.
For anyone interested, the PSA World Championships are being played this week, with the Grand Central Station at Chicago hosting the main matches and final stages.
http://worldsquashchamps.com/
$1m of prizemoney (men and womens both $500k) and although there are many Egyptians playing in the last 16, there is a quite eclectic and global field still in it. Shame on the IOC for ignoring a proper sport and the only major racquet sport not included in the Olympics
Congrats to James Willstrop, harrogate resident, on reaching the quarterfinals of the world championships in qatar this week. James pretty much retired and this is a sterling effort.
Finalists are Paul Coll of New Zealand ( first finalist since Ross Norman and Bruce Brownlee back when squash was the in sport) and he plays Tarek Momen, from Egypt, the current Kings of squash.
The World Squash Championships have just been held in Chicago, the two world number ones, Ali Farag and Nour El Sherbini (both Egyptian) won the events.
Pakistan of course dominated this sport for many years, top players from Australia and Britain have at various times, but Egypt dominates now, very much so. If you look at the entry lists, though, you will see players from USA, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, India, Germany, France, Switzerland, Spain and so on and so forth.
It is a truly international sport and a scandal it isnt given Olympic status - my personal view is that a lot of that is down to the fact it is dominated by a non Western country and gets ignored as a consequence by the TV folks - I am not going to say it is racist, probably not intentionally so, but it is certainly driven out of a First World versus non first world perspective, IMO
The World Squash Championships have just been held in Chicago, the two world number ones, Ali Farag and Nour El Sherbini (both Egyptian) won the events.
Pakistan of course dominated this sport for many years, top players from Australia and Britain have at various times, but Egypt dominates now, very much so. If you look at the entry lists, though, you will see players from USA, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, India, Germany, France, Switzerland, Spain and so on and so forth.
It is a truly international sport and a scandal it isnt given Olympic status - my personal view is that a lot of that is down to the fact it is dominated by a non Western country and gets ignored as a consequence by the TV folks - I am not going to say it is racist, probably not intentionally so, but it is certainly driven out of a First World versus non first world perspective, IMO
I play badly but as much as I love it, it just isn't a great spectator sport at the top level. Having said that I thought the skateboarding was pretty dross, the commentators were raving and all I saw was someone just jumping on a handrail and sliding down.
Mo is world number 3, former world number one and world champion once And runner up 4 times, and 3 times British Open winner. Thats like having 4 slams to his name. Its hard to compare but its a bit like a Medvedev or Zverev or that level of player becoming British in tennis. Or maybe higher than that!
-- Edited by JonH comes home on Thursday 9th of June 2022 05:46:45 AM