Hunger to succeed drives Guyana's Ashley Khalil to first Caribbean Squash Singles title

By August 31, 2022
Ashley with the trophies she won at the Caribbean Squash Championships and with her brother at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. She won her first singles title at the Caribbean Championships. Ashley with the trophies she won at the Caribbean Squash Championships and with her brother at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. She won her first singles title at the Caribbean Championships. Ashley Khalil

After years of coming up short, an insatiable hunger drove Ashley Khalil to her first ever Caribbean Senior Squash Singles title in Jamaica last week.

The 29-year-old Khalil, who spreads her time between running two businesses and her squash career, came from a set down to defeat compatriot Taylor Fernandez 9-11, 11-5, 11-2, 11-4 to win her first singles title.

She would later team up with Ashley DeGroot to win the Women’s Doubles as Guyana walked away with the Women’s team title and gave Ashley a hold on three trophies for the championships that concluded at the Liguanea Club in Kingston last Saturday, August 27.

She explained that after at least four previous failed attempts, her incredible desire to win helped her push to the title.

“I think what made this year different was the fact that squash had been off for such a long time due to Covid. Also, I was unable to play Caribbean Championships in 2019 due to injury and after therapy and recovery and Covid, I came back stronger and hungry for the title,” she said while revealing an overwhelming sense of accomplishment.

“I am over-joyed to have this title under my belt, especially with this being my first time to even make it into the finals of this competition,” she said.

Khalil headed into the championships more prepared than she had been in previous years. With Covid restrictions being relaxed across the globe, she had the opportunity to shake off the rust and get back to playing close to her best squash.

“I started back training at the beginning of this year after being off due to Covid. In April, I participated and won a bronze medal in the Women’s team event of the Pan Am Championships in Guatemala,” said.

“A few months later I got some experience at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham where I secured a silver medal in the Mixed Doubles Consolation with my younger brother.

“With such high levels of squash and gaining experience and knowledge throughout each competition I was able to come out to the Caribbean Championships with a focused mindset.”

Still, having never won before her expectations were tempered by reality.

“Going into this tournament I was expecting to do well, especially having a few bronze medals from previous Caribbean Championships, but I don’t think it actually sunk in that I could possibly win it even though I was going in as the number-one seed,” she explained while revealing that among the toughest opponents she faced during the tournament was her own countrywomen.

“It is always difficult playing your country mates,” she said.

“We play so often at home that we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses so every match against a teammate is a tough one. I had to ensure I came out strong from the first point.”

She won her second title with DeGroot and said that the two share good chemistry.

“This is actually our second tournament playing doubles together. We previously won bronze at the CAC Games in 2014,” she said.

 “Ashley and I have pretty good chemistry. We are very close friends off the court and that makes it a bit easier on court. We also know when to leave the shot for the other or to assist if need be.”

Ashley Khalil might have just won her first Caribbean singles title but she has had tremendous success at national and regional levels.

In her two decades playing the sport, after making her junior debut at 11, Khalil won her first Junior Caribbean title at age 14. She won a second Junior title at the U19 level when she was just 17.

She was a U15, U17 and U19 national champion in both squash and badminton and was Junior Sportswoman of the Year in 2007.

She also won silver and bronze medals at the Junior Pan Am Championships as well as bronze medals at the CAC Championships and South American Games.

 

Leighton Levy

Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.

Related items

  • Jamaica's Reggae Girlz slip to 42nd, Trinidad and Tobago up to 77th on latest FIFA rankings Jamaica's Reggae Girlz slip to 42nd, Trinidad and Tobago up to 77th on latest FIFA rankings

    The effects of the fallout between Jamaica’s senior Reggae Girlz World Cup players and the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), has started to set in, as the country continues to slip down the FIFA/Coco-Cola Women’s World Rankings, and now sit 42nd.

    After achieving an all-time high of 37 and 1589 points in August, following the Reggae Girlz historic Round of 16 FIFA Women’s World Cup exploits in Australia, the country’s women’s programme slipped five places and now has 1543 points on the latest rankings released on Friday.

    This follows 0-2 and 1-2 defeats to Canada, as well as a 1-2 defeat and 1-1 stalemate against Panama, followed by 2-2 and 1-1 stalemates with Guatemala, over the September and December windows. Their most recent fixtures in the February window ended in 1-5 and 0-1 losses to Chile.

    By virtue of the slip, Jamaica’s women lost ground on Concacaf rival Mexico, who inched four places up to 31st on 1668 points. Other Concacaf teams United States slipped to fourth despite their Women’s Gold Cup triumph, while Canada inched one place up to ninth.

    World champions Spain remains atop the rankings, with England, France in second and third. Germany (fifth), Sweden (sixth), Japan (seventh), Netherlands (eighth) and Brazil (10th), completing the top 10.

    Other Concacaf teams, Costa Rica slipped one place to 44th, Haiti slipped two places to 53rd, Panama held firm at 55th, and Trinidad and Tobago inched one place up to 77th.

    Meanwhile, Guatemala held firm at 80th, with Puerto Rico making a big move up 18 places to its best ever ranking of 85th, while Guyana and Cuba both slipped three places to 90th and 92nd, respectively, with El Salvador (97th), the other team from the confederation in the top 100.

  • Jamaica crowned 2024 CG United Women’s Super50 Cup champions Jamaica crowned 2024 CG United Women’s Super50 Cup champions

    Jamaica were crowned the 2024 CG United Women’s Super50 Cup champions picking up the winners’ cheque for $20,000 USD despite a 5-wicket defeat to Guyana in their final match of the tournament.

    Winning the toss and batting first in a match reduced to 44 overs per side, Jamaica slumped to 73 all out in 27.1 overs at St. Paul’s Sports Complex on Wednesday.

    Rashada Williams top-scored with 31 followed by Chedean Nation with 20. Ashmini Munisar once again led the way for Guyana with figures of 3/11, followed by Nyia Latchman with 2/1.

    Guyana made a meal of the run-chase, losing five wickets in the process, but 24 from Mandy Magru and 21 from skipper Shemaine Campbelle ensure they did enough to earn the victory, finishing on 74/5 in 17.4 overs.

    Jaunel Deers picked up 2/4 while Neisha-Ann Waisome had 2/23 bowling for Jamaica. Guyana finished second earning them the $10,000 USD runners-up cheque.

    The Windward Islands earned a 44-run victory over Barbados, thanks to an 81-ball 72 from skipper Afy Fletcher and 30 from Namia Marcellin as the Windwards posted 233/9 in their 50 overs.

    This is the second game in a row that Barbados have conceded over 200 runs when bowling. Shamilia Connell was the pick of the Barbadian bowlers with 4/38.

    64 from Kycia Knight and 49 not out from Aaliya Allyene took Barbados to 189/9 from their 50 overs, as the Windwards bowlers kept the scoring in check.

    Qiana Joseph 2/21, Zaida James 2/22 and Jannillea Glasgow 2/24 were the Windwards bowlers who got the defence job done.

    Trinidad and Tobago Red Force Divas finally earned a win and points in the final match of the competition when they defeated the Leeward Islands by 4 wickets.

    Batting first, the Leewards posted 151 all out in 40.2 overs, thanks to 48 from Reniece Boyce and 39 from Tonya Martin. Caneisha Isaac had the best bowling figures for Red Force Divas of 3/33 followed by Steffie Soogrim 2/15 and Samara Ramnath 2/22.

    Ramnath returned with the bat to score 35 in their run-chase along with 48 from Lee Ann Kirby as Red Force Divas reached 152/6 in 41.1 overs. Leewards captains Amanda Edward had their best bowling figures with 3/17.

    The teams return to action on Sunday for the start of the T20 Blaze tournament, with three matches per day at Warner Park at 10am, 2:30pm and 7pm. The T20 Blaze will run from March 17- 25.

     

  • Jamaica remain unbeaten heading into final round of CG United Women’s Super50 Cup Jamaica remain unbeaten heading into final round of CG United Women’s Super50 Cup

    Jamaica women remain unbeaten after four rounds of the CG United Women’s Super50 Cup after they defeated the Windward Islands by 3 wickets at the St. Paul’s Sporting Complex on Monday.

    Batting first, the Windward Islands were kept to 175/9 courtesy some spectacular bowling by Chinelle Henry who finished with figures of 6/31 in the match reduced to 45 overs due to a wet outfield.

    Experienced all-rounder Pearl Etienne top-scored with 58 followed by the inform Jannillea Glasgow with 38 and skipper Afy Fletcher with 31.

    Jamaica had a nervy run-chase as they lost seven wickets in the process. Rashada Williams played a patient 101-ball 72 and Natasha McLean hit a run-a-ball half-century as Jamaica reached 176/7 in 36.1 overs.

    The Leeward Islands scored their highest total ever in the competition when they posted 255/5 from their 50 overs at Warner Park.

    Half-centuries from Shawnisha Hector 56, Amanda Edwards 55 not out and Divya Saxena 51 along with 46 from Jahzara Claxton took the home team to challenging total against defending champions Barbados. Barbados’ bowlers had a tough time in the heat as they toiled against the Leewards. NaiJanni Cumberbatch had the best bowling figures of 1/33.

    The experience of the Barbados batting lineup reared its head, as the three most senior batters got their team to the victory line.

    Skipper Kycia Knight kicked things off with 42, but it was 88 not out from twin sister Kyshona Knight who shared in a 152-run partnership with Aaliyah Alleyne that took the match away from the Leewards.

    Barbados got to the target in 46.2 overs to finish on 256/5. Shawnisha Hector finished with figures of 2/48.

    Trinidad and Tobago Divas slump continue in this season’s competition, as they lost their fourth match in row to Guyana by 62 runs, to remain winless.

    The Divas bowlers did well to restrict Guyana to 156/8 from their 50 overs. Karishma Ramharack once again led the bowling with figures of 3/26 followed by Lee Ann Kirby with 2/24. Guyana captain Shemaine Campbelle made 52 while Shabika Gajnabi added 33.

    In their reply, the Divas were bowled out for 94 in 42 overs, Samara Ramnath top-scored with 20 followed by Shunelle Sawh with 18.

    Ashmini Munisar spn a web on the Divas, picking up her first fifer to finish with figures of 5/15. Nyia Latchman had 2/24.

     

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.