'Malaysia has Olympians in squash': Nicol celebrates Eain Yow, Sivasangari

In a remarkable achievement for Malaysian squash, two of the country's top athletes, Ng Eain Yow and S. Sivasangari, have qualified for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. This historic accomplishment came just days after the duo defended their respective men's and women's gold medals at the Asian Games, held in Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena.

The milestone was made possible with the global backing of former world No. 1 and Olympian Datuk Nicol David. David, a champion in her own right, has been a staunch advocate for getting squash into the Olympics, and her efforts paid off as the International Olympic Committee granted the sport its place in the 2028 Games in March 2023.

Eain Yow and Sivasangari's double victory at the Asian Games made them not only the first Malaysian athletes to win gold in squash but also the first players from any sport to secure their spots in the Olympics. The pair's triumph was met with immense joy from David, who expressed her pride on Facebook, writing, "So proud of you both."

Former Asian Games champion and SRAM deputy president Azlan Iskandar, who also missed out on the Olympic dream due to retirement, commended the Malaysian duo's exceptional performances. Azlan, who won gold at the 2010 Guangzhou Games, stated, "Malaysia have met the Asian Games target, and as SRAM deputy president, I'm extremely proud of Eain Yow and Sivasangari. They played exceptionally well today."

Azlan, who served as the deputy chef de mission, was present at the Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena to witness Malaysia's double-gold effort. He expressed his anticipation for the players to aim for another double in the men's and women's team events, which commence the following day.