DATO NICOL DAVID FULL

Her greatest feat that year was becoming the youngest winner of the Women’s World Junior Championships in Antwerp.Ī year later, Nicol entered the professional circuit by joining the Women’s International Squash Players Association (WISPA) and went on to win her first professional title at the Savcor Finnish Open. It was a remarkable feat for a 16-year-old whose peers were either occupied with school or social activities. When she first won the World Junior title at 15, it all clicked and she thought, “Maybe someday, I will be a world champion!” Her dream did come true through sheer hard work, consistency, determination and resilience.Īt 16, Nicol was the champion for both the under-17 and under-19 categories at the 1999 British Junior Open, champion for the senior and team categories at the South-East Asian Games and champion for the under-19 category at the German Junior Open. “All these words encouraged me to step up in order to do this better,” she says, recalling how she had to push herself further from the moment she set her mind on pursuing squash seriously. “When I was nine to 10 years old I was already travelling around Malaysia for squash and subsequently, travelling overseas and meeting new friends,” she recalls, adding that people were also telling her that she was talented and could go somewhere in future. The winner of the World Open title for a record of seven times shares with The Leaderonomics Show that she was first introduced to squash by her father’s friend, who built the public squash centre in Penang. Datuk Nicol David, who started her journey towards achieving her ambition at a tender age of five, is one extraordinary person who knew what she wanted right from the beginning of her illustrious career.

Having personal goals during early childhood is not something many would have given much thought.

DATO NICOL DAVID FULL

Watch the full interview with Nicol David here

Dato nicol david