{
  "id": 18843321,
  "title": "Yasshmita sacrifices studies to train under top Cairo coaches",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/08/yasshmita-sacrifices-studies-to-train-under-top-cairo-coaches",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-08T02:09:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/racquet-sports/2026/11/1573129/yasshmita-sacrifices-studies-train-under-top-cairo-coaches"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "J. Yasshmita, a national squash player from Negri Sembilan, has demonstrated the power of dedication and sacrifice. To achieve her goal, she made the bold decision to forego her second year of studies at Western London University in favor of full-time squash training. Yasshmita relocated to Cairo in October, where she began working with esteemed coaches Andrew Shoukry and Ahmed Faragallah. Upon arriving, she was ranked 84th in the world but quickly climbed to 54th place within a year. Her mentor, current world No. 14 Salma Hany of Egypt, has provided invaluable guidance. Yasshmita's recent performances in three PSA Squash Tour events have been impressive, earning her a qualifier spot in the Egyptian Open. There, she showcased her resilience, defeating top-ranked players Marian Metwally and Farida Mohamed en route to the third round. Yasshmita will soon compete in the Asian Team Championships in Islamabad from November 3-7, though this will mean missing Deepavali celebrations with her family. The loss of her grandfather to her three weeks before last year's Deepavali was particularly poignant. Despite these sacrifices, Yasshmita remains committed to her sport and has set her sights on breaking into the world's top 40 by season's end. She acknowledges the hard work and consistency required, but remains undeterred, ready to push herself further.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: To achieve something in life, you need to make sacrifices.",
  "key_points": [
    "Yasshmita prioritizes squash over studies, skipping second university year",
    "Moves to Cairo in October, trains with top coaches Andrew Shoukry and Ahmed Faragallah",
    "Qualifies for Egyptian Open, aims to reach world's top 40"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Prioritizing elite international coaching over formal education signals a high-stakes commitment to professional squash as Yasshmita trades academic stability for the chance to climb the world rankings.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}