Datuk Nicol David is reflected in the glass during the women’s final against Laura Massaro of England at the Australian Open squash tournament in Canberra in August 19, 2012. — AFP pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 — Malaysians will get a taste of world-class squash come March 14 to 21, when Penang hosts the 30
th Women’s World Championship 2013.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng announced today the reinstatement of the tournament - which is the pinnacle of the annual Women’s Squash Association (WSA) World Tour - after it was cancelled last year due to two false starts.
“The Penang state government felt it was a real shame that Penang’s very own world squash queen will not be able to add to her already impressive collection of seven world titles,” he said at a press conference, referring to reigning world champion Datuk Nicol David.
“For this reason, the Penang state government decided to step in to allow the 2013 championship to continue as well as give our Penangites a unique opportunity to see our very own squash queen in action, and hopefully live up to expectations by winning the world title again,” he added.
Plans to hold the 2013 edition of the women’s world championship were scuttled after prospective hosts Hong Kong and Egypt rejected proposals to organise the event.
Lim said the WSA’s nod to Penang - which will host the tournament at its PISA Stadium - is recognition of the state’s status having the right facilities, amenities and infrastructure befitting a world-class sports venue.
He noted, however, that they will need to raise some RM1 million in funds to organise the event, and urged for corporate sponsors to step forward and help make the tournament a reality.
“If we can’t get enough sponsorship, then the state will have to step in... but we are hopeful that there are plenty of corporate sponsors willing to contribute to this effort,” he said.
Lim added that the state government is open to any proposal by its federal counterpart to work together on the event, even as his administration stands prepared to prop up the tournament on its own steam.
“This is an initiative by the state, especially since we have got our own squash queen.
“But we’ve got two months to prepare for a world championship... Penang has to step up its game to show that we can pull it off,” he said.
- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/penang-to-host-world-squash-championship
