One Year to Go Until 2022 FISU World University Squash Championships
Today marks one year to go until the final of the 2022 FISU World University Championship Squash takes place in New Giza, Egypt, with the new dates for the championship being confirmed as June 9-15, 2022.
Staged by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), the World University Championships sports programme has included squash since 1996. The Championships take place over 7 days of competition, comprising men’s and women’s individual championships followed by a mixed team event.
The most recent edition of the championship took place in Birmingham, England in 2018 and saw home pair Joshua Masters and Lily Taylor win the respective men’s and women’s titles, while Great Britain won the team event.
The 2020 event – originally scheduled to take place in Shanghai, China – was cancelled due to impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This will be the second time Egypt has hosted the FISU World University Squash Championship. Egypt last hosted in Cairo in 2008.
The winners that year – Ramy Ashour and Raneem El Welily – would go on to become World No.1s and World Champions before retiring, while Tarek Momen, who finished runner-up to Ashour in the men’s event that year, is the reigning men’s World Champion. WSF Vice President Karim Darwish also won gold at the World University Squash Championship, beating compatriot Mohammed Abbas in the 2002 final.
WSF President Zena Wooldridge chaired FISU’s International Technical Committee for squash until recently handing over the reins to Cyrus Poncha of India. Wooldridge was also Director of Sport at the University of Birmingham between 2003-2020 and highlighted the importance of showcasing squash at universities.
“Squash has been a consistently popular sport at university level and has the potential to grow significantly over the next few years, with new countries showing interest in participating and hosting future FISU World University Championships.
“We believe the university market is increasingly important to the future development of squash, not least as it helps the transition of our junior players into senior competition. For many other student players, competing in a World University Championship is the pinnacle of their squash experience and achievement. It is also a unique and special opportunity for the best student players across the world to come together to have fun, meet old squash friends from their junior days, forge new international friendships and of course compete for medals and world titles.
“New Giza will be a fabulous venue and promises a truly memorable squash and Egyptian experience on the doorstep of the Great Pyramid.”
FISU Director General, Mr. Paulo Ferreira, said: “The 2022 FISU World University Championship Squash in the city of New Giza would not be possible without the support of the Organising Committee and the World Squash Federation under the leadership of Ms. Zena Wooldridge.
“Ms. Wooldridge was our FISU Technical Committee Chair for squash and it is because of her dedication and professional work that the sport has grown so rapidly in the university sport community. We wish President Wooldridge, the World Squash Federation as well as the host city of New Giza the best of luck for their preparations.”
For more information on the championships, visit the FISU website or follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
