Malaysia’s squash queen Datuk Nicol David swept to her fifth squash singles gold in the Asian Games in Jakarta on Sunday and it is certainly worth more than 35 carats – a perfect 35th birthday which also fell on Sunday.
In the final at the Gelora Bung Karno squash stadium in Jakarta, it was not an easy final for Nicol but the eight-time world champion rode on her vast experience to subdue compatriot S. Sivasangari 11-13, 11-9, 5-11, 11-6, 11-8.
It was a brilliant finish for the Malaysian women squash with a 1-2 finish and Sivasangari hailed as a future world champion, is set to continue Malaysia’s stranglehold in future Asian Games.
Nicol’s previous singles gold in Asian Games came in 1998 (Bangkok), 2006 (Doha), 2010 (Guangzhou) and 2014 (Incheon).
The Penangite also won the world title eight times – in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 201-, 2011, 2012 and 2014. She also won the world junior title twice and this was in 1999 and 2001.
Also in her collection are two Commonwealth Games singles gold which she won in 2010 in New Delhi and 2014 in Glasgow.
