The Sunday News
ZIMBABWEAN squash enthusiasts will on Saturday unite with the rest of the world to observe World Squash Day with tournaments in Bulawayo and Harare.
World Squash Day is celebrated every year internationally on 18 October with the holding of tournaments globally meant to increase the popularity of the sport worldwide. Last year, the theme was “Squash for 2020” which was in support of the World Squash Federation’s bid for squash to be included at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
At the moment, squash is not part of the Olympic Games and the last submission by WSF to have the sport included at the biggest multi-disciplinary sporting event in the world hit a snag when they lost out to wrestling. Squash is, however, part of the programme at the Commonwealth Games, World Games, Asian Games and Pan-American Games.
In Bulawayo, a big tournament is lined up for Old Miltonians Sports Club, a doubles squash event which runs from Friday and ends Saturday evening.
OMs squash section chairman Janak Doolabh, the tournament organiser, said they had sent out invitations to all clubs and schools in the city as well as those outside Bulawayo. The clubs that have been invited include Hornung Park, Bulawayo Athletic Club, Suburbs Squash Club as well schools Christian Brothers College, Girls College and Falcon College. Doolabh revealed that they were expecting 16 pairs for the event which could increase as the response was encouraging.
“We have a tournament to commemorate World Squash Day at OMs, it starts on Friday and ends on Saturday evening when we have the final and an awards dinner afterwards. This is the third year that we have been having this tournament. We are aiming for 16 pairs but that is likely to increase as the response has been good,’’ said Doolabh.
Zimbabwe doubles champion Neil Nesbitt will have to find another playing partner in Michelle Williams as Mike Burns with whom he recently won the Zimbabwe Closed to add to the Zimbabwe Open is not available.
In Harare, Zimbabwe Squash Rackets Association secretary general Admire Magwaza disclosed that they were still to decide where to hold the tournaments which if they are held the most likely venues are Saint Johns College, Harare Sports Club and Belgravia Sports Club.
The tournaments in Harare and Bulawayo will serve as preparations for the annual South African Masters in Port Elizabeth next month where a Zimbabwean team led by Nesbitt will compete with other players aged 35 years and above from South African provinces.
