Datuk Nicol Ann David. Malaysia’s most prized possession and asset in sports. This noble young lady has elevated the name of Malaysia to be a nation that deserves due recognition in the international sporting arena. Daughter of Desmond and Ann Marie David, this Penang lass originated from a humble background. Her dad was an engineer and her mum a school teacher. Her encounter with squash came at a tender age of 5 and it was only at the age of 8 that she begun to take it up as a competitive sport and began training regularly.
Her first two international titles were the Hong Kong U-13 and the Scottish Junior Open U-12. Nicol then won the Women World Junior Championship of 1999 in Antwerp, Belgium, making her the youngest woman to become the world junior champion at the age of 15. In the process, she defeated three players ranked in the world top 20. She successfully defended the title in Penang in 2001, becoming one of only two players in the history of squash to have won it twice. She later went on to win many more international competitions and write her name in history as one of the best players to have ever graced this sport.
The journey to the top wasn’t a regular stroll in the park for Nicol. She made it through sheer determination, hard work and also with the encouragement and help of others. Through sports, Nicol discovered lessons and gained experiences that can never be learnt from a book or in a classroom. She has indeed made her country proud and been a good role model for many aspiring sports men and women.
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