Pakistan’s talented junior squash players secured a remarkable total of seven medals at the 32nd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships held in South Korea. The young squash stars won two gold, two silver, and one bronze medal in the main events, along with two gold medals in the plate events, reaffirming their country’s strong return to prominence on the international squash stage.
Leading the medal tally for Pakistan were Muhammad Sohail Adnan and Nauman Khan, both claiming prestigious gold medals in their respective age categories. In the Boys Under-13 final, Muhammad Sohail Adnan displayed exceptional skill and perseverance to defeat India’s Ayaan Dhanuka with a convincing 3-1 victory (11-5, 11-2, 11-13, 11-6). Likewise, in an all-Pakistani affair for the Under-15 Boys category, Nauman Khan delivered an impressive performance to overcome teammate Ahmed Rayyan Khalil in straight sets (12-10, 11-6, 11-2), securing another gold for Pakistan.
Ahmed Rayyan Khalil took home the silver medal in the Boys Under-15 division following his strong run throughout the competition. Meanwhile, Mahnoor Ali put up a valiant fight in the Girls Under-13 championship match but narrowly missed gold, losing to Yin Z of China in an intense five-set thriller (9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 12-10). Ali’s outstanding efforts resulted in a deserved silver medal. Additionally, Abdullah Nawaz clinched the bronze medal in the highly competitive Boys Under-19 category, further strengthening Pakistan’s medal haul.
In plate events, Pakistani players continued their dominance, securing two additional gold medals. Yahya Khan prevailed convincingly in the Boys Under-17 plate final, defeating Korea’s Chanyoung K 2-0 (11-9, 11-7). In the Boys Under-13 plate final, Muhammad Mustafa comfortably defeated Hong Kong’s Tse K.C by 2-0 (11-3, 11-8), adding further glory to Pakistan’s squash achievements at the championship.
The comprehensive success of Pakistan’s emerging talent marks a significant step forward for Pakistani squash. The federation congratulated all medal winners, stating, “Pakistan Squash is back on track, and winning golds in mega events is a great achievement. We are proud of our young squash stars!”
