Cairo awarded World Junior Squash Championships

By Duncan Mackay

Cario has been chosen to host the 2015 World Squash Federation (WSF) World Junior Championships, including the women's team where they will be defending the title they won in Wroclaw, Poland, last year.

The women's team event will follow the men's and women's World Junior Individual Championships.

All three events are open to individuals aged 19 and below.

It will be the first time Egypt has held the men's event since 1996 when the winner was Ahmed Faizy.

They also won both women's singles and team titles when they held them in 2003.

Then Omneya Abdel Kawy won the singles, while in team event they beat Australia 3-0 in the final.

At last year's team event they beat the United States 2-0 in the final.

Egypt also won the female individual championship again this year in Namibia, when Habiba Mohamed Ahmed Alymohmed triumphed.

Still aged only 15, she will be eligible to defend her title in Cairo, while 16-year-old Nouran Ahmed Gohar, the fellow Egyptian she beat in the final in Windhoek, will also be able to compete.

Peru's Diego Elías will be eligible to defend his World Squash Junior title in Cairo next year ©Getty Images

Egypt will be keen also to regain the men's crown after the title in Windhoek went to Peru's Diego Elías, who beat Egypt's Omar El Atmas in the final.

Elías, who does not turn 20 until 2016, will be able to defend his title, where he could again face opposition from El Atmas, who is also only 18 at the moment.

"We are proud of the achievements of all our juniors and it will be our great pleasure for them to have the opportunity to compete for the World Junior titles in our own country," Egyptian Squash Federation President Assem Khalifa said.

"We are also delighted to be able to welcome all the best young overseas players so that they can experience Egyptian hospitality."

The event is also a boost for Egyptian sport following the cancellation of several sports events in recent years following several civil unrest.

"Egypt not only has a rich and long tradition of squash excellence but this is coupled with their formidable production line of juniors," said WSF President N Ramachandran.

"We are delighted that they will again be hosting a WSF event and look forward to an excellent edition."

The planned dates for the event are July 25 until 30 for the World Junior Individuals, followed by July 31 for August 4 for the Women's Junior Team Championship.

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