Squash player does city proud

Deepankar Sharda

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Chandigarh, June 25

City’s 14-year-old squash player Sehar Nayar achieved yet another accomplishment by claiming second position in the trials meant to pick Indian squad for the upcoming 30th Junior Asian Individual Championship to be held in Dalian (China) from August 20.

This will be her second international tournament after playing the last year’s edition of the same championship where she finished 5th in 2022. A total of 14 countries took part in the championship.

She was invited to participate in the selection trials earlier this month. The national association had called top 10 ranked players from each age category for the trials held at Shiv Nadar University, Noida. She got second position in the girls’ U-15 category to get selected for the upcoming championship.

She is currently attending the preparatory camp under foreign coach Chriss Ryder. Last December, Sehar, who is a student of Vivek High School, Sector 38, won the 77th CCI Western Slam in Mumbai. In the girls’ U-15 final, she toppled Karina Phipps (11-4, 10-12, 11-2, 17-15) to claim the title. The Squash Rackets Federation of India had made this championship an international event and the tournament witnessed 474 entries from various countries, including India.

Prior to this feat, she bagged a silver medal in the Junior National Squash Championship at the Bombay Gymkhana Club. She went down against top seed Delhi’s Anahat Singh (2-11, 3-11, 3-11) and won the gold medal in the IIT-Gandhinagar Squash Open, Gujarat. Sehar trains with his father Saurabh Nayar and uncle Vikas Nayar at the Lake Sports Complex and Chandigarh Club. Both Vikas and Saurabh are national champions and have won several medals in international tournaments.

“I am happy with this selection. In this upcoming championship, I will try to attain the top podium position. I am better prepared than last year, and confident of winning a medal for the country,” said young Sehar.

Achievements

• Last December, Sehar Nayar, who is a student of Vivek High School, Sector 38, won the 77th CCI Western Slam in Mumbai.
• She bagged a silver medal in the Junior National Squash Championship at the Bombay Gymkhana Club.
• This will be her second international tournament after playing the last year’s edition of the same championship where she finished 5th in 2022.

Confident of winning medal for country

I am happy with this selection. In this upcoming championship, I will try to attain the top podium position. I am better prepared than last year, and confident of winning a medal for the country. Sehar Nayar