Squash coach wins master champs title
Local school squash coach has won at the World Masters Squash Championships.
QUINTON Kippen , squash coach at DHS, smashed the competition when he won the plate event in the 40-44 year age category at the World Masters Squash Championships.
Having grown up in Wentworth, Kippen relocated to Phoenix after getting married 10 years ago. He has been playing squash for more than 20 years and during that time, had not participated in any international event. That changed this year when the took the plunge and applied to participate in this prestige tournament.
“I am humbled to have been able to participate in this international event. Although I have been playing squash for many years, I did not play competitively and this was the first respective win I have had, other than in league matches. Being able to make it to a ‘final’, firstly the quarter final and then going through the semi’s and then on to win the final, I had mixed emotions, but overall I am proud of my win,” he said.
Having lost the first game against South Africa’s Ashwell Jenneker, Kippen pushed harder in the next few matches, taking the win for all, which allowed him to claim a spot in the quarter finals against Mark Southwood (South Africa), which he won. The semi-finals saw Kippen competing against his first international opponent Australia’s David Zeman. The results were 11-7; 11-7; 11-5 with the clear win going to Kippen. The finals saw him up against Celumusa Malinga from South Africa. The final results were 11-6; 11-5; 11-7 in a match that lasted a total of 31 minutes before Kippen was announced the winner.
As the Durban High School squash coach, Kippen has already made an impact on the performance of this sport at the school, with more interest being shown by a number of learners. He hopes to encourage his learners as well as others, to never give up and keep pushing and most of all, believe in the ability they possess.
“I would like to use the results of this experience to show the learners that by pursuing your passion, much can be achieved; it may not be now or at a time when you have planned but eventually it will,” he added.
With a passion and dedication for this sport, Kippen has begun preparations for the next World Masters event in the USA in 2018. However, finance permitting, he would also like to participate at the World Games in Australia next year.
