Nicol David is presently one of Malaysia’s hottest sports properties. While most Malaysians will have to take a really good look before becoming a professional sports person, Nicol shows them how she did it, and why they should do it too.
Nicol Ann David was born on 26 August 1983 in Penang. She is a daughter to Desmond David, an engineer and Ann Marie David, a teacher. Her first encounter with squash began at a tender age of 5, and at the age of 8 she started to take squash seriously with regular training and involved in competitive games. She received her primary education at SM Convent, Penang.
Her squash career began in 1992 when she won silver in the Under-14 category of the Penang State Junior Championship. Her first national level victory was also in 1992 at the Milo-Dunlop Sport National Junior Interstate Championship, where she won silver in the Under-16 category. After that she always gets won the tournament that she participates.
Nicol began dominating the squash scene by winning the Asian championship as well as becoming the youngest player to become the world’s woman junior champion. By the time she reached 16 where most people at that age was honeymooning before sitting down for SPM a year later, she was already making the world’s top 10 list and on her up. Nicol has an invincible track record in Asia after winning the Asian championship 5 times in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006.
In January 2006, at the age of only 23 years old, Nicol reached a new height when she took over the helm as the world’s number one woman squash player. Nicol is not only the first Malaysian to take over the crown but is also the first Asian woman to be ranked number one.
Her success in squash did not prevent Nicol to record impressive and outstanding academic achievement. She scored 8As in the PMR (Penilaian Menengah Rendah) and 9As in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM). Before the exams, she would be seen juggling her time preparing for the exams as well as practicing and perfecting her skills in court.
Nicol David has been conferred Darjah Setia Pahlawan Negeri which carries the title ‘Datuk’. The award will be given by the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Penang, Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas tomorrow, in conjunction with his 70th birthday.
Now a professional squash player, Nicol David is a definite role model for Malaysian and other youngsters around the globe. She trains under a former world number 2, Liz Irving in Amsterdam, Holland. Her desire to succeed has taken her to a territory where other Malaysians consider impossibility. She is also a living legend who proves that you can be exceptional in both sports and education fields.
