BUKIT JALIL – With the long-awaited dream of having squash be a part of the Olympic Games fulfilled, the Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) is preparing a long-term programme to gear up for Los Angeles 2028.
There will be two medal events at the 2028 Los Angeles Games with events for both men and women.
SRAM Coaching Director S. Maniam, also known as Major Maniam for his pre-retirement position, said squash’s inclusion in the Olympics is “something amazing”.
“We are all very happy and excited about the decision.
“Now we need to prepare so the World Squash Federation (WSF) can organise a successful tournament at the Olympics, while also drawing the attention of other countries to continue showing interest in including squash in future editions of the Olympics, such as in Australia.
“SRAM will now prepare a long-term programme to gear up for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics while hoping that the national squash players will also be incorporated into the Road to Gold programme to aid their preparation for the Games,” said Maniam.
He added that the national body already had long-term plans for the Commonwealth and Asian Games – they will now draw one up for the Olympics to achieve success there.
“I believe that if you want to stand on the podium, you need to be in the top 10 in the world. Based on current rankings, Ng Eain Yow is in 20th, while S. Sivasangari is 37th in the world.
“But with the right exposure, I believe we will be in that group, as well as other players like Aifa and Aira Azman and Amishen Chandran.
“I am very confident that we are now just waiting for the moment when we will be called in to discuss our programme with the National Sports Council to prepare for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and then be incorporated into the Road to Gold programme. We are just waiting for their announcement,” said Maniam.
Today, the International Olympic Committee officially announced that five sports will be added to the programme at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
They are baseball/softball, lacrosse, cricket, flag football, and of course, squash. – October 16, 2023