Datuk Nicol David, 37, has once again proven that her incredible feat and recognition as the World Games Greatest Athlete of All Time is simply phenomenal.
This newly won award by the eight-time World Squash Champion, who was the longest serving World No. 1 for 108 consecutive months (nine years), is no small feat on the world stage in sports.
Her peak years in her world squash career was between 2005 and 2014.
Credit should go to her parents, who encouraged her and her sisters to take up squash, the Squash Association of Malaysia (SAM), NSC and OCM, including all her coaches, especially Liz Irving the Australian coach who was based in Amsterdam where Nicol’s training base was during her illustrious career, and CIMB and all other sponsors who had contributed hugely to her victories.
Nicol David will go down in Malaysian Sports History as one of the most decorated athletes for the number of victories and awards, including her induction into the World Squash Hall of Fame in Amsterdam.
Where she received a huge 318,943 votes from her other opponents, tug of war James Kehoe from Ireland garnered 113,120 and Ukraine’s power lifter Larysa Solovlova, who was placed third, managed 80,790 votes. She beat 10 other candidates in the final round.
There is no doubt the much loved athlete by Malaysians and her squash fans around the globe voted for her colourful 20-year career, which she had won in the Professional Squash Association Tour. She bagged 81 titles – a remarkable, and extraordinary feat.
Not forgetting, the two Commonwealth Games gold medals and seven Asian Games Gold medals for Malaysia.
She was also three-time World Games gold medallist in Duisburg (2005), Kaohsuing (2009) and Cali (2013) and also winning a bronze in her fourth outing.
Nicol retired in 2019. However, that did not stop her from motivating and encouraging youths not only in Malaysia but around the globe in promoting squash and hoping the sport would be accepted in the Olympics.
Syabas Datuk Nicol David for being Malaysia’s pride, squash sports ambassador to the world and for bringing fame and glory to Malaysia.
C. Sathasivam Sitheravellu
Seremban
