The
sport of Squash is claiming a world record for the biggest sports match
in history.
More
than 40,000 players registered to take part in the World Squash Day
Challenge, which demonstrated global support for the sport's 2020
Olympic bid.
More
than 800 clubs from over 70 nations joined in, with players representing
Team Squash and Team 2020.
A
delighted World Squash Federation (WSF) Chief Executive Andrew
Shelley said: "It was wonderful to see the worldwide squash
community come together in one massive match. It clearly illustrated the
passion the whole sport has for squash's Olympic bid, as well as
promoting squash at national and local level.
"Clubs
are currently uploading their results, and the total is already close to
25,000 players, so we feel justified in claiming the record for the
world's biggest competitive sports match on that figure alone. By the
time the rest have done so, we will have a fantastic, verifiable figure.
"These
2020 figures really illustrate how much players of all abilities care
about seeing Squash in the Olympic Games," Shelley added.
World Squash Day
founder Alan Thatcher said: "Hundreds of pictures have been
uploaded to the WSD website and Facebook page showing large numbers of
happy, smiling people doing what they love best, enjoying the thrill of
playing one of the world's most physically-demanding sports.
"The
pictures also showed the lifelong friendships, great sportsmanship and
sheer fun that this game delivers.
"Perhaps some of the after-match parties went on too long and clubs
forgot to post their results!
"It
was heartening to see so many of the world's leading players supporting
the event."
Women's world champion Nicol David set a great example. The
Malaysian cycled round her home city of Amsterdam to visit every squash
club, and also waved banners outside some of the city's most iconic
buildings.
Other
former world champions, including Australians Vicki Cardwell and
Michelle Martin, joined the action as more than 50 clubs
participated Down Under.
Leading Egyptian stars Nour El Sherbini and Raneem El Weleily
also played a special WSD challenge match in Alexandria.
World
Squash Day was also celebrated in some exotic locations, with Reunion
Island hosting a team from Mauritius. Frenchman Thierry
Lincou, who hails from Reunion, beat fellow former world champion
David Palmer in a match to mark World Squash Day.
One of
the biggest events took place at the Tanglin Club in Singapore,
where they joined forces with the British Club and Hollandse Club to
stage 188 matches.
A
24-hour marathon in Slovenia attracted more than 300 players; 334
matches took place over 15 centres in the Czech Republic; and
Gravelines in France featured 122 competitors. Results were also
posted from Zimbabwe, Peking University in China, and from
various clubs in the Caribbean.
Around
750 youngsters from the inner-city of Johannesburg, townships of
Soweto and Alexandra - among numerous around the world who
would benefit from Olympic inclusion beyond 2020 - had a fun-filled day
as they joined the rest of the world in celebrating World Squash Day
through their annual Egolisquash Festival.
A huge
event in Hong Kong was followed by a flash mob dance in the heart
of the city, which attracted national media attention.
Upwards of 150 clubs were involved in England, with big numbers
also recorded in Canada, USA and throughout Asia
and Europe.
There
was a raft of messages of support, including one from double Olympian
Dame Kelly Holmes, while WSF President N Ramachandran summed
up his delight by saying:
"Our
sport cares about promoting itself. It cares deeply about our Olympic
aspirations and developing and innovating.
"World
Squash Day is a superb illustration of this."
For
full details and images, visit
www.worldsquashday.com
Further information from Alan Thatcher. Email:
alan@squashuk.com
Telephone: +44 7971 639829
***
For the record, Team Squash have held a marginal lead since the very
first result, and currently lead by 5,930 to 5,757. "We can't declare a
winner yet," said Thatcher. "But Team 2020 can't be counted out!"
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