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Squash trio conclude successful training in USA ahead of Pan Am Games in Peru
By Sean Devers
From left, Mary Fun-a-Fat, Ashley Kahalil, Coach David Pamler and Taylor Fernandes at the Cornell University in the USA.
Guyana’s Squash trio of Mary Fung-a-Fat, Ashley Khalil and Taylor Fernandes have qualified for the 2019 Pan American Games and are the only Caribbean Women’s team to do so. They join Bermuda and Jamaica; whose Men’s team are the other Caribbean nations to qualify for the Games.
The 2019 Pan-Am Games will be held in Lima, Peru from July 26 to August 11, 2019, with preliminary rounds in certain events beginning on July 24. These Pan-American Games will be held at venues in and around Lima, and will be the largest sporting event ever hosted by that country.
The trio, who qualified in the Cayman Islands, spent one week from May 5, in the USA at Cornell University under the watchful eyes of 42-year-old Australian Squash Coach David Palmer.
The Guyana team will be Coached by US based Ramon Chan-a-Sue and Managed by President of the Guyana Squash Association (GSA), David Fernandes. Guyana joins host Peru, USA, Mexico, Columbia, Canada and Chile as the Women’s teams at the Pan Am Games.
Taylor Fernandes explained that Palmer, who still plays in the Masters, is a very experienced Coach who combined the things he did when he played as Junior with the modern style that is used now.
“Coach Palmer focused on fitness, court movements and the tactical aspects and the training at Cornell University was very beneficial for me,” said Taylor who turns 21 on July 11. Team Manager David Fernandes noted that this will a tough challenge for his charges since teams like the USA, Mexico, Canada and Columbia are among the top ranked countries in Women’s Squash in the World.
“It will be a fantastic opportunity for them to compete against the best in this Hemisphere,” David Fernandes noted. The Manager feels that when you get the chance to compete at this level you should be afforded every chance since you could be successful; if you are not there it means you have no chance of winning.
“We are scheduled to depart on May 22 and we don’t play our first match until May 26. Lima is at Sea level and the conditions there should not much different from here,” Fernandes explained.
The Squash will be played from May 26 to June 11 and GOA official Garfield Wiltshire confirmed that in addition to the Women’s Squash team, Guyana has already qualified in Boxing with Keevin Allicock, the skilful 19-year-old Caribbean Junior Gold Medallist and South American Bantamweight Silver Medallist representing in Boxing.
Badminton has also qualified with the brother and sister pair of the Ramadhan’s, representing. Guyana’s 7s Ruby Team has also qualified. Wiltshire informed that Taekwondo has been given a wild card and Swimming has gotten wild cards for a male and a female adding that Athletics, Table Tennis and Cycling will participate in their qualifiers shortly.
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