Squash doubles can win medals at Sukma, says coach

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Kho (left) and coach Emmanuel David (right) with Nathalie (second left) and Eugenia and two state back-up players at the Sarawak Squash Centre.

KUCHING: Sarawak squash team are looking to bag medals in the doubles events at Johor Sukma next year.

Sarawak head coach Andre Kho Yang Yang said the preparation for the state’s challenge in Sukma XX, to be held from March 6 to 14, would be mainly focused on the doubles events.

“We have a good chance of bagging the medals in the mixed and women’s doubles and hopefully also getting medals in the singles events,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.

“There is no team event this time around and the golds offered are in the men’s singles and doubles, women’s singles and doubles and the mixed doubles,” he added.

The coach also hoped that the players would perform well at the Johor Sukma.

Ma Si Yi will team up with Nathalie Sim Shu Eng in the women’s doubles and Nathan Kueh Tze Bing in the mixed doubles.

Meanwhile, Kho is expecting tough challenges from Kedah, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Sabah.

“Those currently having training facilities for doubles are Sarawak, Kuala Lumpur and Johor,” he noted.

According to him, medals in the singles events would be a tall order as the state players will be up against national and world ranked players.

Other players in the state Sukma team are Claudia Yong Bi Er, Eugenia David, Caleb Lau Hui Xuan, Hii Jia Rong and Harith Danial Jefri.

Sarawak Sukma team chief coach is Allan Pete Soyza while the team manager is Lucy Lao Puong Siong.

According to Kho, the state Sukma players had resumed normal training on June 17 at their respective training centres in Kuching, Sibu, Miri and Bukit Jalil.

The players train for two to three hours from Tuesday to Thursday while Monday and Friday are allocated for gym training.

The Johor Sukma, originally scheduled for July 11-19, was postponed to March next year due to Covid-19 pandemic.