KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s top women’s squash player, S. Sivasangari, has set her sights on the gold medal at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games as the main goal of her career, with four years left to make it a reality.
Sivasangari knows that aiming for the gold is a significant goal, highlighting that this dream is shared by players from around the world.
Nonetheless, Sivasangari believes it is her duty to fulfil Malaysia’s aspiration of securing the gold medal at the world’s largest and most prestigious sports event.
Sivasangari is one of four national squash players, alongside Ng Eain Yow as well as sisters Aifa and Aira Azman, who have been absorbed into the Fast Track Programme under the Road to Gold (RTG), the nation’s elite sports programme.
“You always have to believe in yourself. If you don’t set that goal for yourself, then why am I doing all of this?
“At the end of the day, every squash player has the same goal: winning the gold medal. Even for our junior squad, within five years, they could be representing Malaysia.
“Obviously, I have four more years. I’m going to work as hard as I can, improve my weaknesses, and get better with the right support from CIMB, NSC (National Sports Council), NSI (National Sports Institute), SRAM (Squash Racquet Association Malaysia), and my coaches.
“I want to do well, and they all definitely want me to do well, so that is my goal,” said Sivasangari during a media session with CIMB Group today.
Sivasangari now joins track cycling champion, Datuk Azizulhasni Awang, and golfer Erwin Chang as the new ambassadors of the organisation, and will receive the necessary assistance to prepare for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
“The goal for this season is to break into the top 10 in the world, and I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself because once I feel a lot of pressure, I can’t perform really well.
“There are a lot of players, some slightly above and others slightly below me, but we are all very close. I think the breakthrough is always about the mental game. I always have the mindset to beat them, and I have come close.
“I recently played against Georgina (Kennedy), who is ranked number six in the world. I lost to her in five sets.
“I believe I have to work more on my mental strength on the court, and once I boost my confidence level, I think I can perform much better,” she added. – March 14, 2024